The Unexpected Case of Bumi, Son of Avatar
by beifongfirebender
Summary: What is Bumi to do when he is accused of a crime he didn't commit? It's time for the children of the Gaang to take justice into their own hands. Their parents aren't ALWAYS right... (After "While The Parents Are Away" and "When We Were Young")
1. Chapter 1

_**I am an absolute addict for writing about the Gaang kids. This going to be a short story about how they all got in trouble again as young adults.**_

_**I say again because I wrote two stories before this "While The Parents Are Away" and "When We Were Young" and this is part three. If you haven't read them, you can still follow this but I'd recommend that you check them out at least.**_

_**Some things to keep in mind…**_

_**Ages in this story:**_

_**Bumi (30)**_

_**Kya (27)**_

_**Izumi (26)**_

_**Tenzin (24)**_

_**Lin (23)**_

_**Zari (19) (Azula's son)**_

_**Suyin (17) (daughter of Sokka and Toph) (six months ago ran away like seen in flashbacks in LoK)**_

_**Iroh (5)**_

_**I know the intro was annoying, but here we go:**_

**oooooooooo**

**Chapter 1**

Very few things in Lin's adult life sucked as hard as paperwork did. It was like the police officer's version of homework. No one liked it, but it had to be done before you could go out and play.

That particular evening, she was sitting at her desk at the station, neck-deep in forms when she felt someone grab her shoulder.

"You're coming with me, cop!" she heard someone say in a deep voice and without missing a beat grabbed the intruder's hand, twisting it and pushing him into her desk.

"It's me, it's me! Tenzin, your boyfriend!" the airbender whimpered.

"Oh, sorry." she let go of him immediately, "What were you thinking?"

"She got you good…" Lin's partner, Jun, added from his desk, "I once tried to play _Guess, who_ with her, and I didn't even finish the sentence she decked me. Hard."

"That's what you deserved…"

"I just thought I'd surprise you…" Tenzin started, "You know, get the moving going as soon as possible… I have all my possessions in the world packed up on Oogi and ready to go."

"Oh… Right now?"

"You didn't forget, did you?" Tenzin asked. There was no way he'd forget, since it took him weeks to convince his parents he'd still be an Air Nomad if he moved in with Lin.

"Are you kidding?!" Jun cut in from his desk again, "She's been walking on air for a week now! She even-"

He was interrupted when Lin threw a crumpled-up piece of paper at him. He smirked, picked it up and threw it right back at her just as she turned to Tenzin.

"Detectives!" the new Chief appeared in between the two friends seemingly out of nowhere, "Am I running a preschool here?"

"No, Sir." both Jun and Lin said in unison.

"Then for Spirits' mercy, act like officers of the law, not children!" Chief Hong ordered through his teeth. It was just a few months since Toph officially retired as Chief of police and even though he tried, he couldn't hold a candle to her. The crime rate shot up immediately, especially in the organized crime department, and everybody could see Hong had no idea on how to fix that. So instead, he took it out on his officers.

"Beifong, what's this? What did I say about personal visits at the station, huh?" the Chief continued, gesturing at Tenzin.

"I apologize… Sir." Tenzin started, since there was no way he'd let Lin get into trouble because of him, "It wasn't Lin, I…"

"We had a misunderstanding, that's all. I'll finish my paperwork and then we'll leave." Lin explained calmly, even though Tenzin could see she was a bit pissed.

"Of course, you will." the Chief said and left towards his office, grabbed his jacket and stormed off, his face full of purpose.

Lin cursed a little under her breath. She didn't like how her mother ran things, but this was just stupid.

"What's his problem?" Tenzin asked, rather quietly, since Hong still couldn't be far.

"That's why, I told you to meet me later at my apartment." Lin said.

"Ignore him, Tenzin." Jun cut in, "Hong was on the radio with someone before and must have not liked what he heard…"

"Well, that doesn't excuse his behavior." Tenzin concluded.

"Don't worry," Jun reached for Lin's pile of paperwork. "I'll finish this for you. You two, go, be in love… Fly under the stars, whatever you do…"

"But Hong said-"

"Screw that guy, we don't have to tell him."

"You're right. Thanks, Jun, we owe you…" Lin made sure the Chief was really gone, then picked up her jacket and dragged Tenzin with her out the door.

**oooooooooo**

"But, Lin, I've seen your apartment hundreds of times…" Tenzin said, while being dragged eyes-closed.

"Yes, but you've never seen _our_ apartment." She stopped. "Alright, do it now."

And Tenzin opened his eyes, finding himself _not_ surrounded by mountains of files, crime photos and sketches, maybe for the first time since Lin moved in.

"You cleaned up," he said, smiling.

"Oh, no, no, no… You are looking at a police-case-free apartment. No old, unsolved cases, no _murder collages_, as you like to call them… All returned to the station."

"Thank you." Tenzin pulled her into an embrace.

"I wanted it to feel more _homey_ for you, and _murder collages_ aren't really your style. It cleared up a lot of space, so you can just hang your airbender thingamajigs anywhere you want…"

Tenzin just leaned in and kissed her before even thinking about speaking.

"Anywhere you are, feels like home to me," he whispered since they were quite close now. Lin pulled him into a kiss again, deeper this time. Things where getting more heated fast and Lin thought about moving them to the bedroom.

"Stop! Stop, sorry! I…" Bumi stepped out of the dark bedroom. At first Tenzin couldn't believe his ears. How was he here? He turned around with the intention of yelling, but froze when he saw his brother's shirt was completely covered in blood.

"Bumi, what-" Lin tried, but she was shocked too. Tenzin wanted to ask a million questions, but couldn't say a word.

"Don't worry, it's not mine." Bumi said, a lot calmer than he had any right to.

"That does not make it better…" Lin pulled away from Tenzin and took a few cautious steps closer. "What happened?"

"What did you do?" Tenzin finally found his voice again.

"I screwed up, alright? It's bad…" Bumi's hands were visibly trembling, "I… I didn't know where else to… I had to get out of there! I couldn't go home…"

"Come, Bumi. Sit down." Tenzin lead his brother to the sofa and looked back at Lin. Bumi wasn't the kind of man to get upset over something mild. Lin was thankful Tenzin had it in him to help, since she always preferred dealing with the criminals, much more than with the victims.

"You're safe here." It was one of the most cliché things to say, but nothing else came to Lin's mind. "But you have to tell us what happened. Who's hurt?"

"Whatever they tell you… I didn't do it!" Bumi yelled just as they heard a voice over the radio in the corner of the room.

"Lin, are you there? Come in!" It was Aang, which was very unusual for that time of night.

"Yes, I'm here." Lin said after slowly picking up the microphone, never breaking eye contact with Bumi.

"Is Tenzin there with you?"

"Yes, Uncle Aang. Is there something you need?" She tried to sound normal, but wanted to get him off the line as soon as possible.

"Have either of you had any contact with Bumi in the last twenty-four hours?" Aang asked.

"No. Why?" Lin lied without flinching.

"Something's happened…" Hearing Aang say that, Bumi shoved his head between his knees. "I know it's late, but could you two come over to the Island?"

"I don't know…" Lin had to get them out of it without sounding suspicious "We have lots of unpacking to do, I'm working tomorrow-"

"Lin!" Toph seemingly grabbed the microphone away from Aang, "You and loverboy need to get dressed right this second and march over here, you understand me?"

"Yes, yes…" Aang got it back. "It would be best if you came as quickly as possible."

"What's this about?" Tenzin cut in.

"It's better in person, son."

"We'll be right there." Lin said and plugged the machine out of the wall.

**oooooooooo**

"You want us to go over it one more time?" Lin asked, getting off Oogi. They reached Air Temple Island in record time, but had no idea what was waiting for them there.

"What's there to go over? We were moving my stuff into your apartment when my dad called. That's all." Tenzin sighed. "Not that it matters, there's no way we can pull this off."

"Not with that attitude, we can't." Lin was a strong advocate for leaving Bumi in their apartment until they had more information, and in the end, she got her way. She usually did prefer being honest and up-front about things, but… He looked scared. She'd known Bumi ever since she was born and she didn't see him scared often. Not even worried, let alone panicked out of his mind like he was tonight.

"Your mother can sense lying!" Tenzin fixed his collar.

"So avoid the questions... She can sense heartbeats, not the truth. Remember that."

"You ready?" he asked, just as he was ready to open the door.

"Not yet." Lin stopped him and turned to dishevel his collar, "It needs to look like we dressed in a hurry."

She also purposely missed one button while doing up her shirt and messed her hair up a bit.

"But they're our parents… Don't you think they'll-"

"It's just sex, Tez. They know we do it on a regular basis. It's a good excuse for acting weird."

Tenzin nodded, took Lin's hand and knocked on the door. They were let in by one of the air acolytes. He led the two of them into the radio room which was already full of people. Aside from their parents, Tenzin also recognized the Earth Kingdom ambassador who seemed to be in the middle of a heated discussion with Fire Lord Zuko. Lin recognized the uniforms the other men were wearing. Earth Kingdom military. Whatever Bumi had gotten himself into was serious.

While Lin and Tenzin were looking around in disbelief, Katara walked out of somewhere and hugged her son without a word.

"What's going on, Mom?" he asked.

"Come, these men have a few questions for you and then we'll explain everything." she led them towards the center of the room, bringing everyone's attention to them.

Lin mostly just stared at her mother since it had been maybe a full six months since the two have seen each other last. Six months since Toph quit the Force and left to roam the world. Lin hoped her mother would say something. She wasn't expecting a hug or anything… But maybe just like a friendly, approving nod.

"Lin, sweetie, your shirt." Katara tried to discreetly alert Lin of her _mistake_ while doing up her buttons. Lin acted surprised and fixed it right away.

"Thank you."

"Tenzin, when was the last time you spoke to your brother?" Aang asked, while the whole room listened for the answer. It appeared they weren't going to get any answers until they provided some.

"A long time ago. Suyin's birthday, I think." Tenzin hoped no one could see him sweating.

"And what did you speak about?"

"He told me he was leaving on deployment, somewhere… We talked about me and Lin. Us moving in together."

"And you, Lin?" Aang asked.

"Same day, same conversation. What is this about, Uncle Aang? Where is Bumi?"

"We don't know… We were hoping you could tell us." Katara cut in. "Do you know where he'd go if he was in trouble? A friend that lived in the city maybe?"

"We really aren't that close anymore," Lin said.

"Is Bumi in trouble?" Tenzin asked, even though one look at either of his parents could have given him the answer.

Katara looked behind at Toph.

"They're a little shaky," the former chief said. "But what do you expect when you pull them out of their bed and don't even tell them why? They're scared, not lying."

"You're right, Toph." Aang's face softened, "The Earth King is dead. Murdered in his home together with Crown Prince Jianyu."

"That's terrible." Tenzin said.

"Yes, definitely, but what does it have to do with Bumi?" Lin cut in.

"They found him in the throne room, his knife in the King's neck." Toph explained, since she could sense both Katara and Aang would have a hard time making the words come out.

"You think he… Killed them?" Tenzin couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"That's ridiculous." Lin added.

"He was probably trying to help, it has to be a misunderstanding." Tenzin had more to say in defense of his brother, but decided to be quiet. The look in his father's eyes shocked him. He wasn't sure if he ever saw him this mad before.

"We could have asked him, if he hadn't ran!" the Avatar looked away, probably realizing his younger son didn't deserve his rage. Katara walked to her husband immediately and put a hand on his shoulder. Aang reached out to touch it.

They were clearly in pain and Tenzin had information that could make it go away. He could tell them Bumi was alive. He could tell them where to find him. He could…

Lin pulled his hand and shook her head. It was like she'd read his mind just then.

It would have to wait.

"Do they have any other proof?" Lin directed her next question at her mother. "Because all of this is seeming a little thin. Bumi's no assassin."

"He also had a screaming match with the King hours earlier in front of his entire unit. Threats were made and a lot of people think he went to find the King later to finish the job."

"You have to know he wouldn't."

"It doesn't really matter what I think, kid. I'm not the Chief anymore."

Lin didn't really need to be reminded of that.

"Absolutely not!" Zuko's yelling caught everyone's attention. "I am not sending my troops into the Earth Kingdom. I don't know if you've forgotten the last time they were there, but the citizens sure haven't. There would be rioting in the streets!"

"There's already rioting in the streets!" the Earth Kingdom ambassador slammed the table, "The United Forces have to leave as soon as possible. One of them killed the King! We need someone else to help keep the peace."

"You mean, seize power for the heir we choose?" Zuko didn't look like he was backing down, so the other man looked around and left the room, seeing he wouldn't get what he wanted.

"I'm sorry, Aang. For losing my temper," Zuko said, only now noticing Lin and Tenzin. He took a seat across from the Avatar and sighed.

"Don't worry…" Katara started, "You're right. It's not on us to meddle in the Kingdom's affairs."

"But if we do nothing it could end in a civil war." Aang said.

"Our top priority should be finding Bumi and learning the truth." Katara took a seat at the table too.

"He was caught covered in the King's blood, standing over two bodies. I don't think the truth will serve us well," the Fire Lord said.

If looks could kill, he would have been a dead man.

"Zuko, are you saying my son's a murderer?" Katara asked.

"I'm saying that innocent men don't run."

"Scared ones do."

"You two are missing the point!" Toph stepped up to the table too. "Instead of asking if he'd done it, you should be asking how we are going to get them to believe he didn't when we find him."

"And if he did?"

"He's their kid, Zuko. We're not sending him to prison."

**oooooooooo**

Two hours later Lin and Tenzin finally made it back to their apartment.

"It's just us." Lin said upon closing the door, calling Bumi from another room.

He looked better now. His blood-soaked shirt was traded in for one of Tenzin's clean ones, his hair back in a messy pony-tail. He also looked calmer now, if only on the surface.

"On a scale of one to-"

"About a million!" Tenzin interrupted him.

"I told you. I didn't!"

"Quiet." Lin said, "It's two in the morning, none of the neighbors can hear you."

"Tenzin," Bumi started again, this time softer, "You really think I would kill someone, just like that?"

"No."

"That's because I wouldn't. I didn't. Prince Jianyu was my friend. King Kuei was Mom and Dad's friend…"

"Stop." Tenzin sat down on the floor, took his meditating pose and closed his eyes. "I need to process this."

"I can't believe my own brother-"

"Stop!" Lin interrupted. "Stop, both of you. Bumi, sit."

She pointed at the couch and Bumi obeyed instantly. Then she crouched down next to Tenzin who was still keeping his eyes shut and trying to ignore what was happening.

"We need to hear what he has to say, if we want to make a decision."

"She's right!" Bumi cut in.

"Quiet!" Lin shushed him and turned back to her boyfriend. "Tez, I don't like it either, but we already lied and now we have a chance to hear it from his perspective before everyone else does. We can get ahead of this. We can help. Please."

Hearing that Tenzin slowly opened his eyes and turned to his brother.

"Alright. What happened?" he asked.

"Thank you, guys. For not ratting me out, I mean…"

"So you were on duty in Ba Sing Se?" Lin helped move him along.

"Yeah, we were just there to help secure a shipment. Pretty basic stuff. But the King wanted to thank us all personally and that's when-"

"You two argued?"

"He said a bunch of stuff about Republic City and Dad, I couldn't just stand there and take it. I wasn't the only soldier from here, I couldn't let him insult us right to our faces… But it was just words. I swear." Bumi stopped shortly to study their faces. Seeing they looked like they were believing him, he continued, "Later that night, I get a note saying I should meet the King in the throne room. Something about an apology. I went immediately, of course, not telling anyone because that would have been smart…"

"You're sure no one saw you leave? Maybe you held on to the note?" Lin asked.

"No… No, sorry. I wasn't thinking about it being a trap at the time. So I get to the throne room and notice there are no guards, which is weird. I let myself in and that's when I saw them. The King sitting on his throne and his son lying down at his feet… Both dead." Bumi looked down and sighed deeply.

"Since I can't see the crime scene, it would be useful if you could be a little more descriptive…" Lin tried to be sensitive, but she really needed that information while it was fresh in his mind.

"Yeah, I can. I can't stop seeing it anyway… King had a knife in his throat, my throwing knife. A nice, clean cut… Jianyu, he was stabbed a couple times in the chest, so when I got there he was face down on the floor in a pool of his own blood. I turned him over, that's how I got bloody…"

"And how long after were you found?"

"Well, immediately. I was still holding the Prince." Bumi rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Man, his wife's pregnant…"

"The note, the knife, the walk-ins… You think it was planned?" Tenzin turned to Lin.

"I have no other way of explaining it… Someone wanted Bumi to be caught for that."

"Luli must hate me." At this point Bumi was just mumbling to himself.

"Is she the King's daughter-in-law?" Tenzin asked.

"Yeah, Prince Jianyu's wife."

"Well, she's pronounced herself Queen and fled the capitol."

"But the King had a daughter, Princess Hou-Ting." Bumi looked up. "She's fourteen and annoying, but she's next in line."

"She agrees with you. The Dai Li support her, so they've sealed her in the palace and had a coronation. But Princess Luli made it to Omashu and claims her child is the rightful heir and she should rule in their stead."

"So they have two queens now?"

"Dad said that is could go to civil war fast. Most of the noble families have already chosen whom to support. All but one." Tenzin finished and looked over to Lin.

"My mother asked that all Beifongs remain neutral, but we don't know where Suyin is. If she gets herself captured, we'll be forced to choose sides." Lin stood up and walked to the bedroom, seemingly just to get away from the subject of her family.

"I thought Su was with her grandparents?" Bumi asked Tenzin.

"She was, but she completely disappeared." Tenzin whispered, even thought he had no idea why since Lin already knew all of this. "She didn't say where she was going or when she'd be back. She's not in Gaoling, Toph doesn't know… Lin got a letter saying she's fine, but it didn't say where she was. And that was months ago."

"And you think it has something to do with me and all of this?" Bumi matched his brother's tone.

"No, I just think Su's rebelling and off finding herself, but now that all of this is happening she should really be home. Lin worries."

"Yeah, I get that. Did you hear from Kya recently?"

"Not really."

"Last time I got a letter she was in the North Pole, dating that actress."

"Far away from all of this. Good."

"Guys." Lin called from the other room. While they were gossiping, she removed a few floor boards and was standing over a pretty big hole in the bedroom.

"Lin, what did you-" Tenzin started.

"Bumi, you'll sleep here." She jumped in the hole, handing Bumi a sheet. "Hold this."

She attached the white cloth to both sides of the hole, forming a sort of makeshift hammock. It was a good idea, but it seemed to be kind of a tight fit. The last thing Bumi wanted after everything was to be crammed into a small space with nothing but his thoughts.

"Are you sure this isn't too much?" he asked.

"This is the only way to fool earthbenders' seismic sense. You have to be suspended by something that's not metal or earth." Lin waited for him to crawl in, but he wasn't moving. "Or would you rather spend the night in jail? Because that's what'll happen to all of us if they find you here."

"And Mom and Dad really believe it's true?" he asked.

"I don't know what they believe, but we can't tell them tonight." Lin said. "We'll talk about it tomorrow."

Bumi grunted and laid down onto the sheet, after which Lin carefully put the floor boards back.

"It's good." Lin concluded after hitting the floor and the wall a few times, trying to sense where he was, but unsuccessfully. The hiding place would suffice, at least for that night.

"We'll get you in the morning." Tenzin said. "Now we should all get some sleep."

And he didn't have to say it twice as Lin was already out of her shirt and pants, under the covers of the bed. It was late, yes. And Tenzin was, oh, so tired, but sleep just wasn't coming to him. He squirmed and turned in bed, until Lin pulled his face to hers.

"We'll figure it out tomorrow. Sleep. " she whispered.

"How are you so calm about this? You saw how convinced everyone was that he did it."

"So what? We know the truth, we just have to prove it."

"I can't believe that I was so happy just six hours ago. I was moving in here, everything was going great and now we could go to prison."

"It's so obviously a set-up. We have it under control. Now sleep." She kissed his cheek and closed her eyes again. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"And I love you both." They heard Bumi from underneath the floor.

**oooooooooo**

_**Alright… First, let me say that if you have any opinions, I'd love to hear them at any point in this story. I'll try and post every few days to keep this moving.**_

_**OK… Anyone else raised on crime-solving shows like NCIS and Bones and The Mentalist? No, just me? Anyway, I watched those kinds of shows so much, they literally taught me half the English I know. This is going to have some elements of that. There's been a crime, we have a person claiming to be innocent, a rogue cop, politics are involved. I couldn't stop myself.**_

_**I'm sorry if you don't agree with the reactions I gave the Gaang in this, you can still try and enjoy it. I struggled with it a lot and finally told myself that people CHANGE with age and that we actually don't know that much about how our favorite characters acted as adults, so I made some choices to make the story more interesting.**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Here, I am with the first update…**_

**oooooooooo**

**Chapter 2**

Bumi woke up. He didn't even remember going to sleep. Judging by everything that happened it shouldn't have been possible. Yet he opened his eyes and saw light coming through the cracks between the floorboards. Right… He was hidden.

"Hello?" he tried quietly and listened for a response. Yet all he could hear was faint grunting. Lin's voice, he could bet.

"Should I come out or are you guys a little busy?" he said louder. "Did you forget I was down there? Should I wait until everyone's decent?"

"Don't be disgusting, Bumi…" Lin said between heavy breaths.

Bumi carefully moved one floorboard, then another and soon he could climb out of the hole. He'd slept in worse places. He must have, but none came to mind.

He took a few steps forward to where Lin was doing push-ups on the floor. He wanted to make another joke, but took one look at her very red, very serious face and thought it better to be quiet.

As Lin's body moved up and down so did the metal weights behind her. It was a way of practicing both her bending and her muscles, so Bumi dared not interfere. He could hear the metal clanking even as he walked into the living room where Tenzin was meditating in his little corner. He knew better than to interrupt that.

It was real, he hadn't dreamt it. He really was wanted for murder.

All he wanted to do was talk about how they were going to fix this, but he thought someone else should bring it up. That's why he sat on the couch and just watched as Lin and Tenzin went through their morning routine.

Bumi couldn't help but feel bad, imposing in their home like this. They haven't done a thing wrong and now they were all in this together, all three of them. But everything be damned, he didn't do anything to deserve this either.

Lin started making breakfast after she finished her exercise and showered. Tenzin still sat motionless in his corner. It sort of reminded Bumi of Mom and Dad in a weird way. Spirits, they must hate him now…

"I would've never guessed Tenzin was the one who wears the pants in this relationship…" Bumi joked as he watched Lin set the table for everyone. She didn't find his comment amusing in the slightest.

"I'll have you know," Tenzin spoke, still not moving, "We divide everything equally. Lin makes breakfast, I make dinner. She washes the clothes, I wash the dishes."

"I thought you just moved in yesterday?"

"He was sleeping here most nights anyway. We just made it official." Lin said gesturing Tenzin to the table with a slight nod.

"Aren't you gonna eat, Bumi?" Tenzin asked, sitting down at the table.

Bumi slowly walked closer after hearing that. He sat down and grabbed one of the pastries carefully. They ate in silence, everyone looking down at their own plate, except Lin who glanced the clock here and there.

"I'm sorry," Bumi blurted out unprompted.

"I'll ask around at work today," Lin said. "I have boring desk duty, anyway. I'll find out who's investigating the case, but it's probably Earth Kingdom."

"And I'll go talk to Mom and Dad, see what they know." Tenzin added.

"Yeah, you have nothing to worry about. We'll fix it."

"We planned while you were asleep."

It usually ticked Bumi off when couples would use too many _we_ statements in a row, but now that it was saving his ass he didn't mind at all. He was just about to thank them again, when they hear a voice from the radio. Not one he recognized.

Lin jumped from her chair and picked up the call.

"Chief, Sir?"

"You have a case, Beifong. Triple homicide, Copper street and Ming's road," Chief Hong barked over the radio. "I need you and Jun to pop up there in twenty. Can you do that?"

"We'll try. I'll leave right away."

"Don't bloody try, this is serious."

"Yes, Sir." Lin said and put the microphone down. "I have to go."

"Who's Jun?" Bumi asked.

"My partner." Lin added before stuffing her face with as much food as possible, so she could chew while she put on her armor and jacket.

"And here I thought Tenzin was your partner."

"Very funny…" Tenzin rolled his eyes. "Lin, tell Jun he can't come over tonight."

"I'll make up something about you being upset over what happened with your brother. But everything else needs to look like it's just a normal day at work. Not like I'm hiding a fugitive." she said.

"But you have to ask around about me." Bumi felt selfish saying it.

"I'll do both. Bye." she leaned in to kiss Tenzin, after which he whispered something along the lines of _Go get them_, Bumi couldn't really hear.

**oooooooooo**

"Detectives Jun and Lin." Jun pointed, making a quick introduction to the police officers already gathered at the scene. Chief wasn't there, Lin found it odd. Her and Jun were only made detectives recently, there was no way he'd let them take a case on their own. Maybe he had better things to do.

"Well, I think it's pretty straight forward." a police officer by the name of Bo crossed his arms casually, standing over one of the bodies. "Three dead Terra Triads… Someone's trying to start a triad war."

"There's burning, so what are you thinking? Agni Kais?" Jun asked.

"Yeah, seems likely." Bo answered.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was talking to my partner." Jun made and awkward head movement. "Lin, what do you think?"

Three dead. Three brothers owning the store they found them in. One of them younger than Lin was.

She crouched down next to that one. Yes, his torso was a bit burned, but not enough to kill him. It was for show.

"Is she okay?" officer Bo asked, watching Lin move from one dead criminal to another, staring from various angles.

"That's her process. She doesn't like to theorize until she's absorbed all the facts." Jun explained. "The Beifongs are a silent lot." His face changed. He messed up.

"I don't like running my mouth when I've got nothing to say. That's all." She got up and started examining the furniture. Paintings on the walls, even the china they were selling.

"So, you're _the_ Lin? You're Toph's daughter?" Bo beamed.

"Unfortunately." She shot Jun a glare.

"And what's she really like?" Bo stepped over one of the bodies, almost catching the man's hand under his boot, all to be closer to Lin. "I mean, like every day, when she's not working?"

And when exactly was that, Lin wondered…

"Same."

"You know… I should have really known. You look kind of like her."

"I really don't." She tried to ignore his closeness and forced a drawer open with the blade hidden in her uniform. She was ready to murder Jun for letting her surname slip. Ever since the academy they had a deal…

"Don't be so hard on yourself… How about after this, I take you out for coffee or whatnot?"

Hearing the words leave Bo's mouth, Lin tried to glare at Jun again, but her partner was purposely on the other side of the room, looking down at something with interest.

"I can't, I have plans with my boyfriend," she said.

"Oh, I see. How about this then… Since we're colleagues, now that we have a case together, could you maybe find a way to introduce me to Toph? Because I moved here just as she quit, I never actually saw her in person…"

Not much to see… Lin was sure he'd be disappointed. They had every reason to be, but they never were. Everyone adored her mother, even after she quit like a _crybaby_ and left the city to the wolves. Worse. To Hong and the likes of Bo.

"I don't think I'll be doing that." she said finally and walked away from the officer. He was seriously getting on her nerves by now.

This newest rejection seemed to anger him. "Hey, you think you're too good to talk to me, just because your mom-"

"Alright, Po, that's enough." Jun pulled on Bo's arm and gestured to the door. "Go put up some more police tape."

"But we were just…" the officer protested like a grounded child.

"Are you refusing an order from the senior detective on the case?"

"No… No, Sir."

"Now get on that police tape. Three rows." Jun continued pulling him to the door.

"Three rows, Sir?"

"Didn't they teach you anything at the academy? Three bodies, three rows of tape."

Bo nodded and left, looking back at Lin one more time before exiting.

"Sorry I blabbed." Jun apologized.

"No problem." She turned to him. "Senior Detective, Sir."

"Well, I am. I got promoted before you."

"Twenty minutes before! And he was going alphabetically…"

"Details, details… Now what are your thoughts?" Jun crouched down this time.

"They left the tab running in the bathroom, like-"

"Like for a waterbender to use, maybe…"

"The victims suffered blunt force trauma, then burning after they were already dead. Then the place was flooded on purpose. It's a message. Three elements together which means…"

"Triple Threats."

"Most likely. They like to use all their elements if they want to sign their name on something… But an earthbender did this."

"You can see that from the bodies?" He crouched down next to one of the men.

"From the room." She pointed to a picture on the wall. "The frames are all crooked in the same direction. One powerful earthbending move."

"That's great. If it was strong enough the neighbors must have felt it. Maybe they looked outside, say someone. We'll talk to them."

"It's no use. This is Terra Triad territory, predominately Earth Kingdom nationality citizens."

"So?" he asked.

"So there's a lot of earthbenders. I grew up in a building like this. Ground shakes, beams crackle, windows vibrate, we don't even notice."

**oooooooooo**

After writing up, snapping and bagging everything valuable from the crime scene, Lin and Jun finally made it to the Police Station to find it overrun with people. Everyone was there. Every warm body they had, gathered in small groups around one or two with a higher ranking.

"What's the deal?" Jun asked the first person he recognized.

"Chief wants to see everyone." the officer replied and went on her way.

Lin knew what this was about. Manhunt. High priority. The Chief had the same look on his face Katara and Aang had last night when they told her what happened. This was about Bumi, there was no doubt in her mind.

She sat down at her desk and listened as Chief Hong told everyone what happened.

"The newly appointed- Well, one of the newly appointed queens asked for us personally, Earth Queen Luli. The other queen, the Avatar, they've agreed we should be the ones to investigate the murders because of our station's outstanding reputation."

_My mother's reputation_, Lin thought. The only reason they were going to deal with Bumi's case and not some Earth Kingdom only team was her mother. And she wasn't even involved anymore.

Hong said they were chosen because they were supposed to be impartial. Like such a concept existed anywhere on an issue like this….

"Now we have a main suspect already, we just have to find him. I call your name, you drop everything you're working on and take on this case…" Hong started reading names. First the more experienced policemen, no surprise there. Then when he got to the younger generations Lin started getting nervous, hearing names of much less capable officers than herself get called.

"And lastly..." Hong said. "Jun, you got promoted because of your skills in finding the last fugitive. Partner up with Ru on this one."

"With all due respect, Sir, Lin's my partner. We work together." Jun stood up to say.

"We caught the last guy together." Lin added. Usually, there was no way she'd be begging to get a case from Hong. It was beneath her. But this was for Bumi. She had to be in the loop.

"Alright, then Ru and… Yuan. You two take it." The Chief handed them the, now still mostly empty, case file, but felt eyes on his back. "Don't look at me like that Beifong, you know I can't put you on this case. You're too involved personally… You have family dinners with those people."

"I'm perfectly capable of doing my job, Chief."

"Look, Lin… This one I just cannot do. Job's still Jun's if he wants it."

"Not without Lin, I don't," Jun cut in. "I'll work on the morning case with her, then."

"Don't be an idiot, Jun. Just take it." Lin said.

"And what? You'll work the murders alone?"

"That's exactly what I'll do."

"It's settled, then," Chief Hong called it. "Jun and Ru will find the Avatar's son and Lin, you say you can handle the Downtown Murders on your own? Because we really need all hands on deck for this King thing."

"Definitely. It's just triads killing each other, happens all the time." She didn't like saying it like that, but she needed to be working alone for the next few days. If she couldn't be on Bumi's case, she'd at least make sure she knew how far along they were through Jun.

"Why'd you make me take it?" Jun asked, following Lin away from the gathering. "It's a career-defining case."

"That's exactly why. You want to be chief someday… This is how you do that."

"But so do you. How can he still doubt you after everything? After you arrested your own sister, when she-"

"It's alright." Lin should be mad. If the Chief didn't trust her neither would her fellow officers, but somehow, she wasn't. Because she wasn't impartial. She knew exactly where Bumi was and she wasn't going to share it. With Su, it was easy… She was guilty, it was obvious. But Bumi wasn't. Lin just knew it… But did that make it okay?

"Now, go. Ru's a good partner," she added.

"Yeah, if you like the smell of cigarettes and boredom." Jun smirked. "Just so you know, I'll be missing our patrol car the entire time."

"Oh, you better."

He turned around to walk away, but then a thought stopped him.

"Dinner tonight's off, right? I have to focus on the case. You understand?" he asked, turning back.

"Yeah, I was going to ask. Tenzin is taking this whole thing with his brother kind of hard."

"Oh," Jun sighed. He hadn't even thought about that. "Maybe you should take him with you, when you work on the murders. Like… Unofficial backup."

"I'll think about it."

Working alone… How was she supposed to find things out like this?

She'd have to go back to Bumi, he's the only source of information she had access to that the others didn't. She'd have to conduct her own investigation, but on the down low. While at the same time looking perfectly innocent and working on her actual case in her spare time. Easy enough…

She was just about to come up with a flimsy excuse to leave early and go home, when she noticed one of the interrogation rooms was guarded by her friend Jia. They locked from the outside, there was no reason for guards at the doors. Unless there was someone important there…

"Jia, could you look at something in the evidence room for me?" Lin approached the woman, all smiles and friendliness.

"Sorry, I… I don't really have time." The woman squirmed.

"It'll just take a second… I'm working a case alone, everyone's on this damn assassination except me."

"Well, I am, too. Chief said I shouldn't move until he comes back."

So Lin was right. There was someone related to Bumi's case in there. While she rocked her mind, trying to decide on the best strategy to start dragging things out of Jia, a voice came from the interrogation room. A familiar voice, muffled by the doors.

"Listen, you can't keep me here! I didn't do anything!"

Kya. Lin didn't even know she was in Republic City. They should really explore more then just Bumi as a suspect…

"If you're not on the case, you really shouldn't be here. Please," Jia said, timidly.

"Do you remember who went looking for that evidence you lost last month? Hong would've had your head if Jun and I didn't help cover it up… I think you owe me a no questions asked."

"But Lin, this is…"

"I need you to let me in to talk to the suspect for five minutes, and not tell anyone I was here. No questions asked, Jia."

"Alright, just… Be quick, the Chief could be back any second."

Lin nodded and looked around to see if anyone was watching. They were all too busy. Jia looked downright terrified breaking the rules and Lin hated putting her in this position, but it was all to keep an innocent man out of prison.

As soon as Lin stepped into the room she put a finger on her lips to signal Kya to be quiet. The woman was barely recognizable with her new short hairstyle. Then Lin moved to the center of the room and flicked a switch on the voice recorder that was already running, recording the waterbender's innocence pleas.

"Finally, someone…" Kya relaxed, seeing a familiar face. "Lin, please tell them I didn't do anything. They just grabbed me off the street, no explanation. And the stuff I had on me wasn't even mine, I must have switched jackets with someone… Or I'm being set up."

"_Stuff_? Drugs, Kya? Really?"

"Look, I'm telling you… There was no way they knew I was holding when they grabbed me. I wasn't even high, I was going to a party. Can't you just like… Talk to them? Or get your mom to fix it?"

"She doesn't work here anymore."

"Oh, yeah… Well, my mom will kill me if she finds out. You have to tell them it wasn't mine, I just-"

"Listen to me, Kya. It's very important. This isn't about you or the drugs. A man will come in shortly and tell you a bunch of things about Bumi, but they're not true. You listen, say you haven't talked to him in a while and don't know what's going on…"

"Well, I don't!"

"Only thing you need to know is that Bumi's okay. Come to my apartment when they release you."

"Lin, what's this about?"

"Later," Lin said and flicked the switch on the listening device back on. Kya still looked like she had a lot of questions, but there'd be time for that.

The Chief and others were so set on proving Bumi guilty, they were interviewing people now for simply knowing him. It was only logical to think Tenzin would be next.

Lin left the interrogation room and saw Hong on the other side of the station, waving his hands about, giving some officers instructions. Her gaze searched for Jun. He was there too. Close enough to hear. She focused on his face. He couldn't even look at her for too long. Yes, Tenzin was next, definitely…

What were the odds Bumi was safely hidden under the floor right now? Not very high. Tenzin and him didn't have any reason to think they'd be in danger of discovery. She had to warn them.

She started walking out of the station casually, like she had some super important work to do. She didn't take out a car, they'd notice it parked when she arrived. She started walking towards her apartment. Then she ran.

She made it quicker than expected.

"I'm going to work, Tez." she knocked on her own apartment, but didn't go in. "Tidy up a bit, will you? In case we have _company_…"

And with that she continued walking down the hall and climbed all the way to the roof of the building. She could already see two police cars pull up. Hopefully, the guys got the message.

**oooooooooo**

"Aren't you going to let Lin in?" Bumi asked, sipping tea.

"No… She has a key." Tenzin stood up. "She said the word _company_… I think it's a signal. We need to hide you. Right now."

The officers knocked at the apartment door in less then two minutes. By that time Bumi was already safely hidden under the bedroom floor and Tenzin removed the second cup from the table.

"Can I help you, officers?" Only when everything was ready, did the airbender open the door. He knew much of the police force because of Toph and Lin, but he didn't know any of the men in front of him. That was probably by design.

"You have to come with us, Sir," one of them spoke.

"Am I under arrest?"

"Interrogation. We've come to escort you."

"I see."

Bumi couldn't hear the conversation from his hiding place so he was totally oblivious to the successfulness of the plan until Lin called for him to come out ten minutes later.

"You ran here?" he asked, climbing out of the hole clumsily. Sweat was dripping off her.

"I knew you wouldn't be ready."

"You outran their cars in that death trap?" He gestured to her uniform.

"Armor and weaponry. Yes." She was slowly catching her breath again. "I don't know why… But the police is handling the case, even though it's an international mess. It didn't happen here."

"But that's good, right? You can get in." He cracked a smile. "And I didn't get caught. Everything's going well…"

"They took Tenzin for interrogation and he's a horrible liar. It is not going _well_. This was way too close." Lin sighed, half relief, half worry. "And they have Kya."

"Why? She doesn't have anything to do with this…"

"They have one suspect and it's you. They're going to check everyone you're close with again and again until they find you." Lin watched color drain out of his face while she talked. He didn't know it was this serious. "I couldn't get on the case. Because I know your family."

"You think they'll let Kya go?" he asked quietly after a few seconds of looking at his feet.

"I'm sure. And when they do, she'll come here." Lin walked to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "In the meantime, we really need to talk about what happened again. In detail. They're all pretty sure you did it and I need to find something that doesn't go along with their story. Even something small, enough to make your parents believe."

Bumi nodded.

They spent the next few hours talking. Well, Bumi talked and Lin asked questions. She had a small black notebook where she jotted down all the forgettable details, dates, names of people and places. It wasn't looking good. Everyone who was close to the scene, dead. The motive, the murder weapon, it was all too much.

"So it was your knife?" Lin flipped a page and readyed her pen.

"Well, yes, but I lost it."

"You know that's what all the actual criminals say?" she sighed. This was upsetting her again, "Can it be proven that it belonged to you?"

"It was part of a set. Dad gave them to me when I joined the army, they were custom made. All twenty perfectly identical with my name and all four nation symbols carved into the side. I had four of them on me when they found me with the bodies."

Lin let out an agitated growl, "And how did you manage to lose this priceless knife?"

"Don't ask it like that?! They're _throwing_ knives, not boomerangs. You don't always have time to go fetch them if you're fighting for your life…"

"So you lost this one in combat?"

"Not exactly…"

"When?"

"A year ago. There was this party…"

Before Lin could ask him to elaborate, there was a weak knock on the door.

"Lin, it's me." Kya said softly and knocked again, "Lin, anyone…"

Lin gestured Bumi to go into the other room and then opened the door, letting Kya in. She looked… Shaken up, to be mild.

"Lin, what in the Spirit World is going on here?! What even…"

"You need to calm down." Lin said in a strict voice.

"Calm down?! Spirits, Mom and Dad came to pick me up from the station… They said a bunch of things about Bumi, what even happened?! Where is he, what was he thinking?!"

"Hi." Bumi made his presence known as he stepped out of the bedroom slowly.

"Tell me you didn't." Kya froze in place.

"Of course, I didn't. Kya, come on!"

"So it's not some secret plan or whatever else you all don't include me in?"

"It is someone's plan… But I didn't do it."

"Good." she ran forward and put her arms around her brother.

"I love the hair." He said, and she chuckled slightly near his ear. He did like the short cut.

"You don't write, I don't see you for months and then when I do hear about you, it's this."

Bumi sensed Kya's voice shaking a bit, like she was about to start crying into his shoulder, and he wanted to break something.

"I'm sorry."

"I don't understand. Why didn't you say anything to Mom and Dad?" Kya said while pulling away to look into his eyes. How long it's been since she's last seen him…

"You talked to them," Lin cut in. "You must have noticed they've already decided he's guilty."

"I know them. They're angry, but Mom wouldn't care anymore if she just knew you were safe."

"We'll tell them." Bumi added, "Just when we have some proof to go along with my charming smile. Tenzin and Lin have been hiding me, we have it under control."

"Tenzin's been hiding a fugitive?" Kya smiled, despite the desperate situation, "That must have been fun to watch."

"Him and Lin have been really great." Bumi said. Kya was surprised he didn't go along with the Tenzin joke. There really was something wrong in the world…

"So what's the plan, Lin?" she asked, "What should I do?"

"Um…" Lin was a bit surprised by this acknowledgement of authority, "Act like you have no idea where he is. That's it. I'll find out more from the leads he's given me."

"You want me to just do nothing?" Kya asked.

"Makes two of us." Bumi said.

"Look, this, collecting evidence… It's my job. I do it every day. I'll find proof soon. As long as you finally tell me where you lost that knife." Lin turned to Bumi.

"You know, it might be enough for Mom and Dad, but it'll never be enough for Hou-Ting," Kya interrupted. "That little bitch will want you killed for this."

"If we present evidence, then she'll see-"

"Evidence…" Kya scoffed, "The real murderer could come forth and confess, she'd still want Bumi's head for it. She hates our whole family, she always did and now she can blame her family's tragedy on us."

"She's got more important things to worry about," Bumi said, more to calm himself than his sister. "Half her country doesn't want her as queen."

"That's why she'll do it. Avenge the King and win them over… We have to tell Mom and Dad, so they can protect you."

"No," Lin said. "They're too trusting, they'd turn him over and believe he'd be given a fair trial. I respect your parents, but they're naive. If we're telling someone, we're telling my mother, but only if things go bad. For now, we don't need anyone's help. I'll look into Hou-Ting for her involvement. I'll look into the whole royal family. We can handle it."

"The four of us?" Kya rolled her eyes, "Bumi cannot move outside this apartment without being arrested, you won't let me do anything, so what, you and Tenzin will handle it on your own?"

"Maybe we will!" Lin realized yelling was drawing unnecessary attention from the neighbors, so she took a deep breath and turned to Bumi, ignoring Kya. "So where and when did you lose the knife?"

"A year ago. There was this party here in Republic City," he said and saw Lin's forehead tense. "What, is that bad?"

"Tons of strangers in a dark room, not really likely we'll find out who took it."

"Well, there was only one other guy there. My friend Pilip."

"How is it a party if it was just you and another guy?" Kya asked, not connecting the dots yet.

"There was… Live entertainment," Bumi said.

"Like acrobats and stuff?"

"Female dancers." Lin cleared up.

"You're unbelievable, you know that?"

"But I know most of them, we go way back. I could give you a list. Just give me some time to remember."

**oooooooooo**

Tenzin returned to the apartment only a couple of hours before dawn. He found his girlfriend sleeping on the sofa, using her hands as a pillow. For a second, he considered just leaving her be, just pulling the thin blanket over her and letting her sleep. Then she shifted uncomfortably, mumbling something incomprehensible.

He crouched down and called her name. Quietly. Once. Twice.

Before she jerked awake.

"Hi." She relaxed immediately and closed her eyes again after seeing it was him and not an intruder.

"Why are you sleeping here?"

"Kya's in our bed." Lin managed after a long pause. "And I wanted to wait for you, but…"

"Move." he interrupted, lying on the sofa too, pulling the blanket off the floor over both of them. There wasn't much room, so Lin was more on him than next to him, her head on his chest.

"How was it?" she asked, quietly after they were done finding the best position.

"They asked me the same questions… Over and over again. Thinking I'll break and just… But I didn't. I lied, and I lied, and they let me go."

"I'm sorry you had to do that."

"I chose to. I could have said the truth, but instead I lied to my father, my mother, the police… And it wasn't even that hard."

"You did it for your brother, for his safety." She opened her eyes again, to look at her boyfriend. She expected to find a sad, disgusted look on his face, but it just wasn't there.

"Partly." he locked eyes with her. "But mostly I wanted to come back here to you. I couldn't leave you to deal with this alone…"

"It doesn't make you a bad person if-"

"How did things go here?"

"I talked to Bumi, got some leads. And Kya will be staying over." Lin closed her eyes back up and relaxed into Tenzin's chest.

"Won't that look suspicious?"

"You're both upset about your brother missing, you want to support each other, it's not unheard of. It could work."

"You really think we can pull this off?" Tenzin asked after a few quiet seconds.

"He's innocent. We have to."

**oooooooooo**

_**Alright… Kya is back in the game. Another person to help, but also another person that knows the secret.**_

_**Not much to babble about here… I'll try to post again in a few days. If you have any thoughts all comments are appreciated :)**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**I don't know if anyone noticed, but I decided to make every new day a new chapter. So they'll probably be very different lengths since some days are more eventful than others.**_

_**Anyway, to the chapter…**_

**oooooooooo**

**Chapter 3**

Tenzin was woken up by giggling. Quiet, but very disruptive. He shifted on the sofa, forgetting Lin was sleeping on top of him, and woke her too. They both blinked, adjusting to the light and the fact they weren't in their bed, but in the living room. Kya and Bumi were already up and staring at them, smiling.

"You guys are so adorable…" Kya cooed, "You remember when they were little and doing school projects together?"

"I do," Bumi answered, not looking away from the stove. "I also remember when they were silly teenagers, always sneaking off during family gatherings thinking no one noticed."

Kya laughed slightly, "I can't believe I never predicted it… You two ending up together."

"Do you remember how they met?" Bumi asked and Kya shook her head, "The day Toph brought baby Lin home, we all came by to say hello and Mom gave Tenzin a blanket to give to her. They put them in a crib side by side and had me watch them."

"That has to be the cutest how I met my wife story…" Kya smiled.

"What are you doing in the kitchen, Bumi?" Lin asked, coming to her senses finally, and sitting up next to Tenzin on the sofa.

"Making breakfast. When Kya pulled me out of my hole this morning, I decided I was done feeling sorry for myself. That's why I'm making you all breakfast to say _thank you_ for sticking your neck out for me."

"It's true. He didn't let me help at all, not even to make tea." Kya took a cushion and placed it on the floor next to the end table. She sat down and gestured Lin and Tenzin to sit on the floor as well.

They watched while Bumi emptied the contents of the frying pan and then came towards them carrying plates, two in each hand.

"Are you sure you don't want any help with that?" Kya asked, but Bumi shook his head.

"What are we having?" Tenzin asked, still half-asleep.

"This, my dear family, is a Fire Nation breakfast delicacy known amongst it's people as ash banana pancakes, or simply _ash-cakes_. The preparation technique was taught to me long ago by a secret source familiar with the ways of the Fire Nation."

"Is it Izumi?" Kya asked, grinning.

"No… But I did learn it to impress Izumi." He finished serving the food and then placed a sheet of paper in front of Lin.

"What's that?" she asked.

"A list. Every woman I remember being there the night my knife was stolen."

"That's… Amazing. I'll look into it today." Lin glanced the paper and counted the names. Nineteen. That was a lot, but still manageable.

"And before we eat," Bumi sat down on the floor around the table and looked around, "I'd like to officially thank all of you for helping me and just believing my crazy story. No one could wish for a better sister, and brother," His eyes scanned from Kya to Tenzin and then paused on Lin, "And sister."

They all exchanged smiles and then slowly turned to their plates to start eating.

Kya was the first one to be hit by the strong bitter taste and she immediately spit out the bite she took. Lin was the next one to feel it, since she started coughing uncontrollably, while Tenzin ran to get a glass of water.

"What? You don't like it?" Bumi asked.

"It's vile." Lin managed between coughs.

"How much salt did you use?" Kya asked, shoving the plate away from her.

"None. I used sugar."

"I can guarantee, you didn't." Tenzin said bringing a few glasses of water from the kitchen.

Bumi took a bite himself and then made a pained expression, "Or maybe I didn't. And I could have left it on the stove some more…"

"If you served this to Izumi, it's no wonder she broke up with you." Kya said.

"If he served this to Izumi, it could be classified as an assassination attempt." Lin said before chugging the water Tenzin brought.

"Aren't you late?" Tenzin asked, making Lin glance at the clock.

"You're right. Get a move on." Lin jumped onto her feet, grabbing Bumi's list and shoving it in her pocket, "You'll help me track them all down faster."

"What should I do?" Kya asked the room.

"I don't know, just sit tight." Lin said, bending her metal sleeves on to complete her armor.

"Seriously? I could come with you guys… Or I could go talk to Mom and Dad some more, see what they have."

"No. Stay here and keep Bumi safe."

"And you could buy some food, we're low on everything." Tenzin said, holding up Lin's jacket while she put her arms in.

"What he said." Lin said.

"At least have some tea, or…" Bumi shut up the second Lin opened the door. Her and Tenzin disappeared into the hallway, heaving Bumi a bit sad and Kya furious.

**oooooooooo**

Before going through Bumi's list, Lin had to stop at the station first. He gave her names, but to find the girls she needed home addresses and places of work. She managed to copy them on a piece of paper without being noticed, but she still had to make it seem like she was about to go interrogate witnesses from the triple murder case, so she had to get her copy of the file from her desk.

Easy enough under normal circumstances. No one but the Chief, who gave her an approving nod, even knew she was here. She unlocked the drawer in her desk with a flick of her wrist and took the binder out. Her desk was always organized for just this reason. There was simply no time to waste on looking for things when you were chasing criminals. Funny enough, her partner used the same excuse to justify his mess of a desk. Jun claimed he couldn't in good conscience waste valuable time on organizing his papers when there were criminals to be stopped.

Lin's gaze traveled over his desk now, taking in the crumpled-up papers, the food leftovers, spilled ink and case file. A case file. It could be Bumi's case. And Jun just left it lying there for anyone to see…

She knew it wasn't wise, but Lin had to know how far the police was with their investigation into Bumi. She looked left and right, and then, satisfied no one was looking her way, she peeked into the file. The first thing that caught her attention were the pictures. They already had pictures of the crime scene. Bumi described it well… She tried to look for any information indicating they had another suspect, but the sound of footsteps interrupted her.

"I told you a hundred times to leave my desk alone. I like it that way…" Jun was standing right behind her.

"It's bothering me." Lin turned around, closing the file behind her back. He didn't seem to notice.

"How?"

"You have ants. And they're crossing over to my desk…"

"Wait, really?" Jun pushed past her and started inspecting take-out containers and empty cups, "Alright, I'll clean up a little bit."

It was a safe bet. At any point in time, here was at least one species of ant at his desk.

"And you shouldn't leave your files just lying around," she spoke and then cursed herself for mentioning it. Tenzin's bad lying skills might have rubbed off on her.

"Sound advice, but what does it matter… We have the copy in the vault for a reason."

Lin froze.

"Lin, you alright?" Jun waved a hand to snap her out of her trance.

"Definitely. I have to go work on the triple murder. Neighbors aren't going to interrogate themselves…" She turned to leave.

"Wait… Aren't you going to tell me how it's going? It was my case twenty-four hours ago."

"No time. And you seem to have your hands full with the ant immigrants." She ran off before he had a chance to argue.

The vault. Of course… The place where they held original copies of all the case files. If she could get to Bumi's case file in there, she could know what other suspects they had… Not only that, she could know how far they've gotten in their search for Bumi and if she should be worried about being discovered.

**oooooooooo**

"I don't know, Lin. I just don't think it's safe…" Tenzin wasn't completely on board with his girlfriend's idea. In fact, he'd been voicing his concerns all the way from the police station to where the first girl on the list lived.

"I have to go in for work, all the time. I'll just grab the wrong file and take a quick look."

"And if someone sees you, you fly straight to the top of the suspect list." He made a rising gesture with his right hand.

"I know where you stand, alright? Now can we just do this already?" Lin exited the car, slamming the door just a tad too hard.

Looking at the house, Tenzin wondered if maybe they had the wrong address. It appeared way too nice to belong to one of Bumi's lady friends. _Stripper_ friends. Spirits, he was old enough for the word.

"Sorry to bother you, I'm Detective Lin with the Republic City Police." When Tenzin looked up, Lin was already at the door, holding up her badge and talking to a tall, skinny woman wearing entirely too much make-up.

"What's this about?" the woman asked, her face immediately annoyed.

"We're looking for…" Tenzin stepped closer and checked the list before continuing. "Baojin. Is that you?"

"You're the airbender? You're Bumi's brother?" The woman stepped forward, closer to him.

"Yes…" he answered cautiously. "That's exactly who I wan-"

Tenzin was interrupted by an unexpectedly strong slap.

"You tell your brother I stand behind what I said! I don't ever want to see his stupid face again!"

It took Lin a long time to react and put herself between the woman and Tenzin since she really wasn't expecting her to be physically violent.

"Ma'am, are you going to answer our questions, or should we take this to the station?" Lin asked.

"Fine… I'm Baojin. Just keep it down." She closed the front door behind her. "My husband can't hear."

"Husband?" Tenzin managed, still rubbing his cheek.

Lin rolled her eyes and took it from there, "Baojin, we need to know about what happened at one of Bumi's parties. Specifically, the one taking place last year, a week after Avatar day. Do you remember being there?"

"At the _Lonely Souls_ club, right? Oh, I remember…" She crossed her hands. "He called a bunch of us dancers to entertain him and his friend. He payed for the whole place to be cleared out for the night. Like he does for most his parties…"

"We have reason to believe someone at that party stole one of his throwing knives. Do you maybe remember seeing someone leave with it?"

"No, but… He had them on him the whole night. I remember him doing tricks, hitting an apple on one girl's head… I just know I didn't take it, even though I wish I did."

"And that's because…"

"Because he hired us as dancers, but then at the party some of us he invited to his table to talk to, like friends or something and some of us didn't even get to dance, we had to serve drinks. Guess, what he wanted me to do?"

"Drinks." Lin and Tenzin guessed in unison.

"The bastard! We go way back, I'll have you know I'm very interesting to talk to. And I'm prettier than half the girls he had dancing!"

"Do you remember him taking any girls to a private room? Anyone who was alone with him?" Lin held out the list of names to help her remember.

"No… I don't think he was alone with anyone that night. Although, I could only see so much from the kitchen…"

In the end, Baojin didn't prove all that helpful. Lin and Tenzin continued down the list, but the stories were all pretty much along the same lines. Everyone was drunk, Bumi's friend Pilip took some girls to a private room, but not Bumi. Some of them remember the knife tricks. Some even clamed they were sure he had all his knives then. It wasn't much, but Tenzin was just happy not to get slapped again.

That is until they met Tai.

"Sober? As in _did not drink anything containing alcohol_?" Lin asked the gorgeous Water Tribe girl.

"That's what it means…" She shrugged. "I thought I was pregnant at the time, so I didn't touch the stuff. And it was a very emotionally turbulent time for me, so I remember everything."

"Everything?" Tenzin cut in.

"A lot. You got most of it right. Bumi's friend wasn't taking the girls to a private room, he was taking them back to his hotel on the other side of town." Tai explained.

"Anything else?" Lin checked her notes of the things other girls told them today.

"The four of them left _before_ the knife tricks. Bumi still had all five then, he was still sober enough to notice if one was missing. So that means…"

"Pilip couldn't have done it." Tenzin finished for her.

"Or the three girls that left with him…" Lin added, handing Tai the list. "Could you recognize their names?"

"Sure." Tai stated crossing off the names, but then stopped, "I know all the girls here."

"So?"

"There was a girl there that I didn't know. I'd never seen her before or since."

Lin and Tenzin looked at each other, then back at the woman.

"What did she look like? What did she do there?"

"She came at the end. Didn't talk to anyone and then followed Bumi into the bathroom. I just figured she was a gift from our boss since she… Well, she looked kind of like Bumi's ex. You know, the Princess…"

"Izumi?" Lin asked.

"Yeah, everyone knew about their break-up so I figured our boss wanted to get him someone who was definitely his type. I never met the Princess, but this girl had that hair, the eyes, the complexion, the height, everything. Only thing giving her away was the tattoo. She had a dragon tattoo going from her cheek and around her neck." Tai showed them on her own face.

"And were they in the bathroom for long?"

"I don't think they hooked up, if that's what you mean… Bumi came out after a few minutes, but he was pissed. He left immediately after that."

Lin thanked the woman and quickly dragged Tenzin to their car. This visit was more useful than all the others combined.

"So how do we find the mystery woman?" Tenzin asked once they were back in the car.

"I don't know. I… Don't know." Lin slammed her head into the back of her seat. She just sat there, not starting the car yet. They still had a few women to talk to and she had no strength left. None.

Tenzin reached out and took her hand into his. He waited till she turned to look at him and then leaned in for a deep kiss.

"I love you." he whispered close to her lips.

"You know I love you too."

"I do, it's just… I'm so lucky to have this, I… Now with all of this, talking to those girls and Bumi, seeing what his life is really like… You know, he used to tell me I got into a serious relationship way too young, but I'm lucky. I'll never believe how lucky I was to realize you're the girl for me even as a stupid teenager."

Lin stared at him for a few seconds after hearing that and then simply started driving. They made it a few blocks in silence before she spoke up.

"I'm driving you to your parents."

"Why?"

"Because you're distracting me. I can't bring you along if you'll try to make me cry like that."

"What if I promise to stop saying things like that?"

"You can't."

"You're right, I can't." He sighed. "I'll just see if my parents have gotten any further."

"Good. I'll talk to the rest of Bumi's floozies." She stopped at the traffic light and turned to look at him, "And Tez, I'm lucky."

"Even with my family always on our back?"

She nodded.

**oooooooooo**

"Nonsense. I'm glad you came to visit, sweetie." Katara lead Tenzin into the big radio room, the exact place he was when he heard what had happened in the Earth Kingdom the night before last. It was a lot less crowded now. His father sat at his spot at the head of the table, Zuko stood to his left, reading a scroll of some kind and Toph lounged on the opposite side, her bare feet on the table.

It was obvious neither Aang nor Katara had slept a blink since they got the news. Now that they were in a well-lit room and not the dark hallway, Tenzin also noticed his mother had been crying. The Fire Lord seemed stressed as always, even Toph was grimmer than usually, but nothing compared to his parents. They both looked like they've aged a decade since this all begun.

"How's that daughter of mine?" Toph asked, recognizing his walk without even having her feet feeling the ground.

"Lin? She's good… She's working on a triple homicide downtown." Tenzin really didn't like that she was here. He wasn't really counting on it. One unfortunately worded sentence and she'd know he was lying immediately.

"There's always a triple homicide downtown…" Toph scoffed, "You know, for all her talk of me avoiding her and… Now that I'm here in the city she doesn't even wanna talk to me."

"I'm sure it's just because she'd busy, Aunt Toph."

"Yeah, yeah…"

"You think she might know where Su is?" Katara asked.

"Yeah… Believe me, Lin would be the last person little Su would trust with anything." Toph got her feet off the table.

"Well, we need to find her somehow. It's not safe." Katara sat by her.

"Excuse me, _my_ kid can handle herself."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Tenzin toned out of the conversation and went to sit by his father who was starring intensely into the map placed on the table.

"Dad, I…" Tenzin started, before Aang pulled him into a quick hug.

"I'm glad you came, my son."

"Of course. I…" Tenzin couldn't handle seeing his father distraught like this. Even after the man watched him get interrogated for hours for no reason.

"Do you know how Kya's doing?" Aang asked, looking at the map again. It's not that it was particularly interesting, he just couldn't make eye contact just then.

"She's fine, she… She did seem a bit upset last night, so I invited her to stay the night at our apartment."

"Good. Good." Aang placed a hand on Tenzin's shoulder. "You kids should look out for each other. I just thought she looked upset when she was here earlier."

"She was here?" Tenzin remembered Lin telling her _no_ just a few hours ago.

"Yes, she asked about Bumi. Helped your mother out a bit."

"So did you find out anything new?" Tenzin asked, and Aang was getting ready to answer when their attention was pulled to the other side of the table.

"Su is seventeen, you cannot possibly compare her to Bumi!" Katara raised her voice to get her point across. "It's way too dangerous for her to be out there alone…"

"You can't compare them because while she's alone, she's not a fugitive and she did nothing wrong." Toph said.

"For all we know, neither did Bumi."

"Oh, grow up! Sometimes you need to kill people to stop them. I'm sure Bumi had at least a half-decent reason…"

"There is no good reason for doing that…"

"Really? Not even if the King wanted to execute your boy? It could've been self-defense."

At that moment the door swung open and Izumi charged into the room and towards her father who dropped his scroll in surprise.

"I can't believe you!" she yelled.

"Izumi, you're not supposed to be here…" Zuko tried.

"Did you really think you could keep this from me?! I'm the Crown Princess of one of the four nations, but you treat me like I'm still ten!"

"You're making a scene, Izumi." Zuko took a step closer and tried to gesture his daughter out of the room. Unfortunately, she was having exactly none of it.

"A scene? No, this is a scene!" She hit the center of the table with her fist and set the map on fire.

"Calm down!" Zuko prepared to extinguish the fire, but Katara beat him to it. "I was afraid you'd overreact and do something rash and-"

"Overreact?!" Flames shot out of Izumi's nostrils.

"You're kind of proving his point, hon'." Toph cut in.

"I'm not overreacting, I'm reacting, same as you all should be!" She looked around at everyone in the room. "We need to find Bumi before the Earth Kingdom does. And we need to find him quickly because they will shoot to kill."

"When he's apprehended, he'll have a fair trial," Aang said calmly.

"Uncle Aang, that would imply there is such a thing as a fair trial. Besides, he won't even make it to a trial. Those people have already decided he's guilty. If they find him first, they'll execute him on the spot and claim it was the only way to apprehend him."

"Izumi, I left you as regent and you what? You just took off because you felt like it?" Zuko asked, drawing everyone's eyes back to him.

"I… Mom and Azula have it more than covered over there. Bumi is the one who needs our help. And you're all here doing nothing!"

"That's enough, young lady." Katara stood up. "We did nothing to deserve you barging into our home while our son is missing-"

"That's just the thing, Aunt Katara. He's not missing, he's being hunted like an animal! And you all knew Dad kept this from me, you knew I had a right to know and to help and you all did nothing." her eyes scanned the crowd, one face at a time, none of them showing guilt. None but her father's and Tenzin's.

"You're obviously tired from your journey, sweetie. You're not making sense," Katara said, in a tone promising that to refuse the following offer wouldn't be wise. "How about you got check into the hotel first? Clear your head…"

Tenzin recognized his mother's shift in mood and exited with only a small nod to his father. He had to get out of there.

"I demand to be included in the search." He could still hear Izumi insist from the other side of the hall. He was already out of the building when he felt a hand pull him back.

"And where do you think you're going?" It was Izumi.

"What?" Tenzin tried his best to feign ignorance, but he could feel it wasn't working. He wished Lin was here. She'd do it so much better.

"Don't give me that, Tenzin." Izumi pinned him to the wall, not really pushing him, just walking closer and letting him try to avoid her. "Where is he?"

"I don't know what you want from me…" Tenzin avoided eye contact, but being so close to the Princess, it was hard and unavoidably suspicious.

"If you know something about Bumi you need to tell me!"

"I don't!"

"If you don't spill it right now, Tenzin. I swear, I'll go full-on grandfather Sozin on you!"

"Hey, hey," he finally met her eyes, "Offensive!"

"I don't care, I need to know that he's okay." Izumi's face expression softened right under Tenzin's eyes and suddenly he was sure he could see the glint of tears in her eyes.

Spirits, he hated doing this. He was so bad at it, it hurt…

"Meet me at Lin's apartment in half an hour."

**oooooooooo**

Tenzin was fortunate Izumi had the common sense to change out of her royal attire before meeting him in front of Lin's building. He forgot to mention it at the island, of course… Lin would have remembered. She was just so much better suited for this kind of life.

"You checked into the hotel, right?" he asked instead of a greeting.

"Sure. Room 104B. Believe me, I'd do anything to prevent them from finding him."

"Good." Tenzin nodded and slowly started going into the building and towards the stairwell.

"Hey, I though you're taking me to see him." Izumi grabbed his arm and pulled back.

"I am."

Neither of them said anything on their way up.

Tenzin kept thinking how it was a mistake. Telling her. Showing her. How many people could know about something before it stopped being a secret? Lin would say anything more than one was a recipe for disaster. She'd seen even the best of friends and the closest of lovers turn on one another in interrogation. His father would say that as long as it stayed in the family, it didn't matter how many people knew.

But did Izumi qualify? As family? He had to believe Lin did. So why not Izumi? She loved his brother once… He couldn't imagine something like this happening to Lin and him not knowing where she was or if she was safe or even alive…

"You have a key or?" Izumi asked, making Tenzin realize he'd been staring at the door of the apartment for a few seconds now.

He looked left then right and only then reached for his key to let them in.

They found Kya in the kitchen, using her bending to wash several dishes at the same time. Other than that, the apartment looked empty.

"Izumi? What are you doing here?"

"Hi, Kya. Nice hair." Izumi said before turning to Tenzin with a puzzling look. She didn't come here to see her she came for…

Izumi's thoughts all but stopped when Bumi appeared on the door frame to the bedroom.

"I didn't do it," he said and carefully waited for a reaction.

"I know." she hurried forward, past Tenzin, and crushed her lips to Bumi's with such force he almost stumbled back.

"Did you know this was still a thing?" Kya asked Tenzin, trying not to gawk at her brother making out with a girl.

"Not a clue." he shrugged.

"Neither did I…" Bumi added once his mouth was free. "If I recall correctly, last time we were together was last year before I ended it in that restaurant."

"Wrong," Izumi started. "You're forgetting this summer. Ember Island, on the bridge, I broke up with you… But that all was before you disappeared from the map."

"I'm okay." Bumi pulled her into a hug. It was always like that with them. They could fight and scream and break up a thousand times, but at the first chance of trouble, real trouble, they ran into each other's arms like no time had passed.

Bumi was fighting an intrusive feeling of happiness at his circumstances, because even though they'd brought him uncomfortably close to death, they also brought him close to Izumi again. Then someone started unlocking the front door. Bumi pushed Izumi away and dashed right back into the bedroom to hide.

The rest of them were relieved to see Lin and only Lin came in.

"You know, you look incredibly suspicions just now… If it wasn't me, you- Izumi?" Lin finally noticed the woman. "I didn't know you were in the city…"

"Relax, Tenzin told me." Izumi smiled.

"It's okay, Lin, she can keep her mouth shut." Bumi stepped out again.

"Definitely. I mean, I kept this thing between us a secret…" She gestured to the space between her and Bumi. "I want in on the plan."

"Alright. But you can tell no one. Not even our parents." Lin sat at the table.

"Especially, not our parents." Bumi added.

"Not a problem," Izumi said, then turned to the rest of them. "I'm in. Let's hear it. What do you have? Who's doing this to Bumi?"

"Did the girls tell you anything useful?" Kya asked.

"In fact, there was one interesting bit." Tenzin turned to his brother. "Bumi, _forgot_ to mention there was another girl at the party. Long black hair, golden eyes, dragon tattoo?"

"She was there for fifteen minutes, I never got her name… I didn't think it mattered."

"You didn't think a strange, uninvited guest was suspicious? You didn't think she'd be our number one suspect as the thief?"

"I'm a little lost here," Izumi cut in.

"I'll tell you everything later." Bumi assured her, then continued arguing with Tenzin. "She was sent by the owner of the club. I didn't think it mattered... I still don't think it does. You just like judging my life."

"Hey, lay off Tez," Kya spoke up. "We're all here trying to help you and you just don't tell us important details like that? Admit it, you were just embarrassed to admit you slept with her…"

"I didn't sleep with the dragon girl!" he insisted.

"You don't have to lie for my sake." Izumi touched his arm. "I don't just sit around the palace alone, when we're broken up, you know…"

"Uh, that has got to hurt…" Kya smirked.

"I'm not lying… She offered, got all handsy, I refused." Bumi said.

"Handsy enough to get the knife from you?" Lin asked.

"No way…" He shook his head. "I'm a professional. No way someone lifts something off me that easily."

"Izumi?"

"A pretty enough girl and I could see him getting distracted enough. It only takes a second." Izumi explained. "So we have a clue."

"Tenzin? Anything from our parents?" Lin asked.

"They're just sitting around, waiting for _justice_ to happen on its own." Izumi cut in.

"I didn't get any information out of them," Tenzin answered. "But you could ask Kya, since she was there too today."

"Kya? What did I tell you just this-"

"You're not the boss of me, Lin! I won't be sidelined on this. I didn't really get anything, because they don't have anything, but I could have. And I'm going again tomorrow."

"Do you understand that if you slip up, even a little bit, you could put the whole operation in danger?" Lin took a deep breath. "You're helping by staying right here."

"What do you want me to do, Bumi?" Kya turned to her brother. "I'll respect your wishes."

"I think you should listen to Lin," he said.

"Well, you don't know what you're talking about! And, Lin, I told you, we should be looking into the King's weird daughter. For all we know, she killed him. But you never listen to any of my ideas."

"I did look into both of the queens," Lin said. "Everything is as it should be. I can see no motive for either of them."

"Except, becoming Queen." Bumi added.

"But they're in a civil war now. I doubt either of them wanted that." Tenzin said.

"And I also have this." Lin said and threw a stack of papers on the table. Everyone stepped closer, forming a circle. "This is the official police file on the case. Everything they know about it."

"Won't someone miss it?" Kya asked.

"It's a copy I made tonight, so no." Lin slowly started spreading the papers across the table, arranging them in groups. Everyone was interested, no one more so than Bumi but they didn't disturb her.

"They're currently looking into a vegetable shipment wagon that left town at the night of the crime." Lin started explaining, since it was more efficient than each of them reading it for themselves.

"I think Mom mentioned something like that to me," Kya remembered.

"But I came here on a ship." Bumi said.

"Well, they're not doing a good job. They're not even looking into any other suspects. And they're looking for you in the Si Wong Desert."

"Good luck with that." He snickered. "I swear, Lin, they're all useless there without you…"

"They only good thing they have are there pictures of the crime scene. The bodies, the wounds, the weapon…" Lin set down photos. "It's all mostly like you described. There were eight victims in total. The King, the Prince, the two Dai Li at the door and-"

Lin suddenly stopped talking, staring at the last picture without so much as a blink.

"And what?" Kya asked.

"And four Dai Li were killed on the way out the palace too…" Lin breathed in deeply, calming herself, "To make your escape look more believable. To stop them patrolling and finding the bodies before… Before you stumbled in. Excuse me, I have to get some fresh air."

She practically ran for the door, slamming it behind her. Afterwards no one said anything. Tenzin picked up the last picture to see what had upset her so much, then immediately went after her, without a word.

"What's with them all of a sudden?" Kya asked.

Bumi had a hunch. He picked up the picture too.

"It's Lin's dad." he said.

"What?"

"He's dead. He was Head of the Dai Li. I met him. He's in the picture, they killed him."

**oooooooooo**

When Lin and Tenzin returned to the apartment several hours later, everything was dark. The case file was sloppily hidden in the kitchen counter, Bumi was in his hiding place under the floor, while Izumi and Kya slept in the bed.

Tenzin heated up some of Kya's completely eatable vegetable rolls, but by the time they were ready Lin was already sleeping soundly on the sofa. He put a blanket over her and, wanting her to be comfortable, decided to try falling asleep on the armchair next to her.

This was too much. This was costing the people he loved most too much.

**oooooooooo**

_**Clues are coming in.**_

_**Izumi joined the cause, which, you could have known since I love Izumi! And Bumizumi, the only thing I can say in my defense is that you could have known by now I can't leave them broken up for long. And there are people with that kind of relationships. Can't stay together, but can't stay apart… Everyone knows that about them, so I figured Zuko, Mai and Azula would all agree it's best to not get her involved, but what do you know our girl just involved herself and when it's about Bumi she is NOT shy…**_

_**About Lin's dad… I mentioned him in both past stories, so I felt like he had to be at least mentioned in this one. And well, sometimes even if you don't want to care about someone you realize you don't want them to drop dead either…**_

_**That's it for a few days.**_

_**You all know reviews give me life :)**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Roki Ineka – You know I love hearing that, so thanks :)**_

_**And I love hearing from people who've read through everything.**_

**oooooooooo**

**Chapter 4**

Next morning, Lin set out to work alone. Like any other normal day, yet it was anything but. She was so distracted, she almost caused two traffic accidents just from her apartment to the station. She couldn't get that photo of her- Of Kanto out of her head. She talked to him only a few times in her life, but she kept replaying those moments now, thinking what would have happened if she behaved differently. If she gave him one more chance. If she tried harder to connect to him.

Then she scolded herself, because the man was a horrible father and a pathetic excuse for a person. She could be damn sure he never spared her and what he did to her a second thought, so why should she care about him… Why should she feel guilty for still being angry at him?

Her thoughts spiraled like that until she finally arrived at the station and pushed them all down. There was work to be done, and people whose fates were not yet sealed. People who depended on her.

She made her way to her desk and was greeted by a pile of letters and a note addressed to her.

_Cleaned out my desk at your request._

_Turns out some of your letters were lost in the mess. Sorry._

_Jun._

One look at the desk to her right and she could see he was serious. There was no more trash, no more endless piles of documents and most importantly, no more ants.

She sat down and got to opening the letters. Most of them were quite old and no longer important, which was expected since she couldn't even remember when she'd last seen her friend's desk clean. Probably when it was assigned to him.

There was an invitation to a party... Well, she wouldn't have gone anyway, this was just a good excuse. She threw it away. There were a few lovey-dovey messages from Tenzin from when he'd go on trips with his dad. Those she'd put away in her desk for when he was away again. And there was a letter from someone named Pei.

That sounded familiar somehow… The triple murder. She pulled out the documents in her case file onto the table. Pei was the name of one of the men killed. The oldest brother. But was it the same man? She compared the handwriting from the letter to the one from the contract for the store the brothers owned. It matched.

He was a Terra Triad member. What in the world did he want with her? Some deep part of her screamed this had to have something to do with Su, so Lin raced through the letter.

_My little brother saw something. He can prove it._

_We don't talk to cops, but we'll talk to Toph's daughter._

_The Avatar needs to know._

Then it listed the address of their store and that she should meet them there as soon as possible.

Lin leaned into her chair as she realized she got a break in the case she wasn't even working on. It wasn't just a triad war breaking out. They knew something, those brothers. And they wanted to talk. People like that didn't snitch unless it was something serious. And he said the Avatar had to get involved.

"Working hard?" she heard Jun's voice from behind.

"Someone has to." Lin carefully folded the letter and put it in her pocket.

"Well, I hope you're not too busy to meet my girlfriend Kaji…"

"Hi," she heard a feminine voice say. With all the things this morning, now this…

Lin turned around, ready for a few minutes of pointless conversation, when she spotted the woman. She was a bit taller than Jun, had golden eyes, long, black hair and a very striking dragon tattoo going from her cheek to her neck. Seemed like Lin was getting major breaks in all the cases, since this woman looked exactly like the mystery woman from Bumi's party. She even looked a bit like Izumi, if you squinted.

"Lin, you okay?" Jun waved to get her attention back.

"Yes, yes… Um… Nice to meet you." Lin put out a hand and the woman took it. "Jun's been talking non-stop about you. But with how you were described, I was beginning to doubt you were real…"

Kaji laughed at that, but Jun didn't seem to appreciate it as much.

"Not cool," he mouthed.

"You remember those Air Nomad bride jokes. Today you pay." Lin whispered.

"Good that we're not staying then."

"Come on, Jun. Stop." Kaji slapped his shoulder. "How often do I get to talk to someone who's known you all the way from the academy."

"I have stories you wouldn't believe," Lin cut in.

"We'd love to, but I asked for my break now, so I could take her out for brunch." Jun shrugged. "But some other time definitely."

"Can I at least use the restroom, or will you forbid that too?" Kaji asked.

"I'll take you." Lin offered before Jun had time to object.

Lin spent the entire time walking to the restroom hoping it was completely unoccupied. There was a good chance, though. Not that many female officers. Kaji seemed a bit weirded out when Lin followed into the room, but that was proof of nothing. Even with the tattoo it could all still be a coincidence.

"I need to wash my face." Lin offered an explanation for following and tried to subtly check the occupancy of the stalls. All empty. The two of them were alone.

Lin flicked her wrist slightly and the door knob let out a slight cling, jamming the door shut. Then Kaji firebended towards her. It was a rather swift and simple fire kick, but Lin's training immediately took over. Her cables, then a punch and she had the woman against a wall, completely incapacitated.

"Who do you work for?" Lin tried not to scream, to keep from being heard outside, but she found herself filled with rage somehow. After just a few seconds and one firebending move it all came to the surface. Her father's death, what this was doing to Tenzin, to Bumi… She needed someone to blame, a face.

"What? Lin, what- I don't know why you're-"

"No. You gave up the chance to act dumb when you attacked me." Lin bended the wall into holding down Kaji so she could take a breath and step away from the woman. She always detested people who would hit tied down suspects, but in this situation, she could almost see herself do it.

"Damn." Kaji breathed out. "You know, you're so much smarter than your friend."

"Don't you talk about him…"

"So what was it? Did you like arrest me before or what? What gave it away? I'm actually curious…"

"Who do you work for?"

"Agni Kais." the woman relaxed, "We could make a deal, you know… You help our guys get away with a thing or two, we pay you so much money. Most cops are doing it, anyway."

"Jun?"

"Your face is precious…" Kaji mocked. "He didn't know. He was just lonely. Lonely and so, so easy…"

Lin squeezed her fist and Kaji started sinking deeper into the wall.

"Alright, alright… What do you want? You caught me."

"I want you to think back." Lin stopped the sinking, for now. "A year ago. You were hired to steal a knife from the Avatar's son, Bumi. Do you remember?"

"Oh, yeah… I think I looked like his dead wife or something…"

"Ex-girlfriend, yes. So the Agni Kais were responsible?"

"No, I didn't run with them back then. I did the job for the Triple Threats."

"You were successful?"

"Please… Of course, I was."

"And you gave it to the Triple Threats?"

"Yeah, in exchange for some serious cash…" Kaji paused, studying Lin's face for a second. "You know, Lin, you had me for a second with this whole good girl act… You got your own thing of some kind going on. I don't think you're even going to report me for spying on your friend."

Lin's face was displaying every last bit of the anger she felt.

"Oh, Spirits. You had me…" Kaji breathed out. "You can let me out now."

"Listen." Lin got nose-to-nose with the other woman. "This is what you'll do. You'll go back to Jun, you'll act like nothing happened here. Then you'll break up with him. Make something up. Make it your fault, not his. Then you'll cut all contact with him. But stay in the city. I'll need you to testify about what you were hired to do and for whom. If you don't… If you tell anyone…"

"Girl, relax. I don't know you, but it sounds like you're planning to take a wrecking ball to the number two gang in Republic City. You bet number three will lend you a hand. I got you."

**oooooooooo**

Izumi took a deep breath and focused on feeling each of her fingers. She flexed her wrist a few times to check if it was loose enough and then threw the grape. It flew diagonally through the whole living room, then continued through the kitchen and landed perfectly in Bumi's mouth. Tenzin and Kya groaned in unison.

"That's 122 completed passes for the red team," Izumi declared. "And still 3 for the blue team."

"I don't understand why we're still playing?" Kya sighed preparing her grape.

"Because it's fun." Bumi flipped a grape up in the air and caught it with his mouth.

"It would be if you let me use airbending…" Tenzin complained. Him and Kya were considerably closer than the other team and still he knew there was no way he'd catch her fruit.

"I'm doing it, Tez." Kya took her aiming pose. "Please use your neck this time. Spirits know, it's long enough."

"Hey! Says the woman who actually _dodged_ ten…" Tenzin snapped.

"I can't help that I have reflexes…"

"Not judging by the number of times I hit right into your mouth and it wasn't open."

"Children, children…" Bumi waved. "Can we just play nice?"

"I'm throwing it, Airhead," Kya said and sent the grape flying, hitting her brother's forehead with force.

"You did that on purpose!" Tenzin said.

"Nothing that you two did was on purpose," Bumi said and then when he had everyone's attention, closed his eyes and still managed to throw the grape close enough for Izumi to catch it with her mouth.

"I hate you both." Kya left her place. "They have to be cheating somehow."

"No cheating required, we used to be a couple." Bumi started putting away the fruit. "We used to practice all the time."

"And we're also both world class knife throwers," Izumi added, walking over to Bumi. She put her hands around him from behind and placed a kiss on his neck.

"No cheating. They're just better." Tenzin assured Kya.

"You know that last one?" Kya asked. "It was on purpose. And I'm so glad it's the one that hit just where I wanted it."

A knock on the front door stopped Tenzin from answering. Hearing it, Bumi hurried to the bedroom and Izumi followed to help hide him under the floor if it wasn't Lin coming home from work. But why would she knock?

Seeing the bedroom door close, Tenzin checked the hallway to find his mother standing there, covered in sand from head to toe.

"Mom, I… What's with the sand?" he moved out of Katara's way as she made her way inside.

"We were in the desert." She noticed Kya and cupped her cheek. "I'm so glad you're here too. You're both okay…"

"Who's we?" Tenzin asked.

"Your father and I. We got a tip about Bumi almost by accident, so we decided to listen to Izumi and get involved in the search." Katara sat on the couch, trying and failing to conceal her left leg hurt like a bitch.

"Wait, there's news about Bumi?" Kya feigned surprise.

"We didn't find him. It was just a lead, a long shot, but somehow, against the odds, I hoped he'd be there…" Katara was interrupted by a cough. It started out mild and got worse.

"Do you want some water, Mom?" Kya offered, seeing the trip took its toll.

"I'm fine, sweetie."

"I'll get you some just in case."

The whole conversation was perfectly audible in the bedroom, where Izumi was desperately trying to convince Bumi to get into his hiding place without using words. She tugged at his sleeve, pointed and even mouthed _please_ over and over again, but he wasn't moving from the door. He was leaning on it, trying to hear as much as he could.

He missed his mother's voice so much. It'd been so long since he'd seen her, even before this whole mess happened. And now? She was so close, and he couldn't do anything about it.

"Is that better?" Tenzin sat by their mother on the couch, giving Kya all kinds of looks. They were both unsure of what to say.

"Just seeing you two, together, safe, made me feel that much better." Katara put down the now empty glass. "Where's Lin?"

"Working." Tenzin said, wishing more than anything he could follow it up with _on getting Bumi free of all charges_.

"What happened over there, Mom? Is Dad okay?" Kya moved to sit on Katara's other side.

"Dad's home, sleeping. Spirits know when the last time he slept was… We got word yesterday that there was a stowaway matching your brother's description who arrived at an oasis in the middle of Si Wong Desert. We took a few Earth Kingdom guards along, so it wouldn't seem like we're plotting anything with Bumi. Appa found the place quickly, but the people there said that man got into a fight and was killed. None of them could tell us if it in fact was or wasn't Bumi so to know for sure we had… We had to…" Katara tired to continue as tears filled her eyes. "We had to dig a man out of his grave to check if it was out son."

Bumi put a hand over his mouth to stop himself from making an involuntary sound as his mind screamed at him to run out the room and show his mother he was alive. He suddenly felt dizzy and allowed his legs to slowly buckle, lowering him to sit on the floor. Izumi just stood in shock, holding eye contact with him as regret filled his eyes.

"Mom…" Tenzin hugged Katara and Kya leaned into her shoulder.

"When we realized it wasn't him, your father…" Katara trailed off, like she didn't want any of the things she was saying to be true. "He lost control briefly. It was a lot and he… The Avatar state took over and…"

Bumi felt tears trickle down onto the hand he'd put over his mouth. He squeezed harder, almost stopping his breathing, trying to keep himself quiet. In his life Bumi'd seen his father desperately sad, furious and in incredible pain, but never so upset he completely lost all control. It hurt to think about it. Then he felt Izumi's hand on his own. She'd made her way to him and crouched down without making a sound. She didn't speak, she didn't dare, but he knew what she'd say.

"I managed to calm him down, like I always do, but…" Katara paused to wipe the tears with her sleeve. "The soldiers saw. There was an international meeting, we… Your father and I are forbidden from interfering in the case. We're too emotionally involved to be trusted, they say."

"What does that even mean?!" Kya lifted her head from her mother's shoulder.

"It means that if… When. When they find your brother, Dad and I will have no say in how he is dealt with," Katara explained.

Now Izumi felt like crying. They were reckless, they made it so much worse. And they were following her stupid advice! If they found Bumi now, she was sure he'd get a death sentence right away.

"But… He's the Avatar!" Tenzin insisted.

"That used to mean being impartial, but people know no parent could ever be impartial about their child. And now they have their proof after what happened in the desert." Katara let a few tears escape again. "I don't even care what happened anymore… If he really did kill those men…"

"Mom, stop!" Tenzin squeezed her hand.

"No, I really don't. I just want him to be alive."

Bumi's hand raised for the door knob, but Izumi grabbed it. She shook her head _no_, then when he faltered, pulled his hand back and rested her head on his shoulder.

"You never know, Mom," Kya begun. "He might be perfectly safe and closer than you think."

Izumi twitched in Bumi's arms. That… Kya shouldn't have said that. That, that could end them.

"What?" Katara found it unusual too.

"I'm just saying, we shouldn't assume the worst." Kya tried to rectify her mistake, while getting an angry look from Tenzin.

"When was the last time you ate, Mom?" Tenzin stepped in to make everyone forget about Kya's almost slip-up.

"Uh, I don't know, sweetie… Before we took the trip."

"Then I think it's time Kya and I take you out for some dinner…"

"No, I…"

"We insist." Kya got up and made sure all three of them were out the door as soon as possible.

That left only Bumi and Izumi, sitting on the floor leaning into each other. Izumi still held his hands, like she was afraid he'd do something stupid if she let go. Like she was the only thing between him and getting discovered and executed. She pulled her head away. Tears were still pouring out of his eyes.

"It's killing them," he started, not looking at her. "Tenzin said they weren't doing great, but… It's destroying them. I have to tell my mom."

"No."

"Just her, not him. You heard her, she just needs to know I'm okay. We can make it look like a letter I sent from somewhere… Just so she knows."

"Bumi." She moved her hands so that they were cupping his face. "You know there's no way she would keep that information from Aang if she knew it. And if you're found and the people even suspect the Avatar knew… He'll be completely discredited. The Earth Kingdom will cut all ties. They may even declare war."

"You have a son," He put his hand over one of hers. "Imagine, just for a second, having to look for him in a grave."

And Izumi did. She felt sick.

"If Iroh needed to keep me worried to stay safe I would want him to do it. Same as your mother wants you to be safe more than anything." She lowered her hands to his chest and felt the ragged breaths and the racing heartbeat.

"I can't take this anymore! This thing… Lin's dad is dead, I can't even look her in the eye and now my parents... It's destroying my family and all while I just sit here! I sit here, and I hide in the floor like-"

"It's not your fault." She touched her forehead to his. "None of this."

"I let this happen, I should have been smarter… I should have-"

"It's not your fault!" She leaned forward, surprising him with an aggressive kiss. She could taste tears, but she just leaned in harder, like she was making a point. The point being that he wasn't alone.

And just like that Bumi had one thing that wasn't yet ruined, and he couldn't believe he even made it through one single day of this nightmare without her there with him. And they kissed, and they kissed, and Izumi couldn't believe she even made it through once single hour of thinking he might be dead.

**oooooooooo**

Not long after the sun set, Lin finally made it to her apartment. She purposefully took her sweet time unlocking the front door so that Bumi would have enough time to get out of the main room. To her surprise, when she entered there was no one in the kitchen or the living room. She secretly hoped for some kind of dinner to be already waiting for her, so this was a disappointment.

"It's me!" she yelled and bended off her armor. No answer. That was strange…

She took out all the papers she'd brought from work and walked to the bedroom only to freeze at the door. How else was she supposed to react to Bumi and Izumi half naked in her bed?

"Sorry." Bumi said, looking over to Izumi like he wanted to claim it was her fault.

"I'll change the sheets, we don't have to tell the others about this." Izumi offered.

"This is a problem. I could have brought a whole brigade with me and you two wouldn't have heard. Do you want to be arrested in your underwear?" Lin crossed her arms.

"I hear you. Sorry again. Give us a few minutes to dress and then we'll hear what you have." Bumi didn't really know how to phrase that so it didn't sound like she was working for him.

"No time." Lin turned her back to them. "Go right ahead, I'll talk. For a start, I found your mystery woman. She says she did the job for the Triple Threats."

"The gang?" Izumi got up and started looking for her clothes. "This set-up is kind of complex politically. I don't think a Republic City triad would dabble with that."

"You think they've been hired?" Lin asked.

"Yes. This definitely sounds more like some power-hungry politician's doing. Like the little princess or the Head of the Dai Li-" Izumi stopped herself a few words too late. Lin's dad was the Head of the Dai Li. "Sorry."

"I also found something that I think connects your case to the murder I'm currently investigating." Lin waved the piece of paper in her hand, "Apparently one of the murdered men had something he wanted to report to me before he was killed. By Triple Threats. On the day of Bumi's supposed assassination. And he said he wanted the Avatar to hear it."

"Could I borrow one of your shirts?" Izumi asked, and Lin pointed a finger at her dresser. It was awkward, but Bumi'd ripped her old one.

"So you think those people knew about the set-up and wanted to warn you to warn me and Dad?" Bumi was dressed and walked up to stand next to Lin.

"It's possible."

"It's a stretch at best." Izumi was done too and started walking into the living room. "Don't triads work on more than one thing at a time?"

"Yes, but…" Lin sat at the table. "These brothers were going to talk to the police and the Avatar. People like that never do that."

"You think only something as serious as my set-up could cause them to reach out?" Bumi was looking for the days' leftovers to offer to Lin.

"And the killed men are from Terra Triad. Earthbenders, probably from Earth Kingdom. I thought maybe they felt a sort of duty to stop it. I don't know it if makes sense or I'm just desperate for a lead…"

"It makes sense," Izumi said. "What's our next move?"

"That's what I was hoping you could help me with." Lin turned to her. "The men were killed, yes, but something this big… I'm guessing their bosses knew about it."

"They probably wouldn't want someone seeing them talking to a cop and taking it the wrong way." Bumi added.

"What I need now is to talk to someone higher up, but I'm a police officer so-"

"None of those low-lives will talk to you willingly."

"Exactly, so I thought we should ask the only person we know and can trust who still has some serious connections in the organized crime world."

"Zari." Bumi realized and a smile overtook his lips. "Who better for the job than the son of former Pirate Queen Azula… Do you know how to reach him, Izumi?"

"He's at sea, last I heard. But he gave me a frequency where I can reach him. I don't know if he'll pick up." Izumi didn't even finish, Bumi'd already walked to the radio in expectation. She followed, set the machine to what she remembered Zari told her and called.

"Zari, if you can hear me, this is an emergency. I repeat, we have an emergency here. Pick up." Izumi repeated the call in similar ways about five times when they heard from the other side finally.

"Izumi? What emergency? Is everyone alright?" Neither one of them was ever so happy to hear the young prince's voice.

"Yeah, we're mostly okay, but we need your help." Izumi said, just now realizing she probably shouldn't tell him over the radio, "Can anyone listen in on this?"

"No… I only use this frequency for you. What do you need me to do?"

"I'll explain everything later, but I'm in Republic City and we need access to your contact in the Terra Triad."

"I'm not that far from the city, I could dock there in the morning, but about my contact…" He paused shortly. "I'll go talk to them myself."

"That'll do… Thank you, Zari." Izumi breathed out with such relief. "I suppose you deserve to know what happened… Is someone in the room with you?"

"No. What is it, Izumi? Is everyone okay?"

And Izumi told him everything.

**oooooooooo**

"Alright. Good night. Changing course and I'll see you in the morning." Zari said, relaxed into the chair and flipped the switch on his radio, "Are you sure?"

"Completely," said Suyin from his bed.

"I don't like it. You said you're not coming back to that place for anything in this world…" He trailed off when Su walked to him and sat on his lap.

"It's Bumi. We have to help." She ran a hand over the prince's cheek.

"I didn't tell them you were my contact in the Terra Triad. Maybe you can tell me who to talk to and I could go alone… I don't want you getting indebted with dangerous people when-"

She cut him off with a quick kiss. "It has to be me. They know me."

"You're right." He sighed. "You think we can make it till morning?"

She shifted her attention from Zari's perfect jaw to the map on the table.

"I think so. But we better hurry. If my sister asked for help, then it really must be bad."

**oooooooooo**

_**Alright, now finally all the Gaang kids are in play. Suyin in secret, but good enough. And about her ship with Zari… No one can stop me. People are allowed to date people they won't marry. Let the teenagers have fun.**_

_**More Bumizumi here, cause I can never get enough and Bumi is taking everything kind of hard. Katara and Aang too. I always figured Bumi had a strong bond with Katara since him and Aang really didn't.**_

_**And that is it. Kind of a sad chapter, but these things tend to escalate.**_

_**As always, I ask anyone who has the time to leave a review :)**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Here I am with another chapter, and this time one that's way longer than it had any right to be. I got carried away… Sorry, not sorry. Enjoy :)**_

**oooooooooo**

**Chapter 5**

After a long night of catching each other up on their new discoveries, at sunrise the whole apartment was quiet. Tenzin and Lin finally got hold of their own bed for a night and were sleeping close together, snuggled into each other. At their feet, under the floor, Bumi was secure in his hiding place, snoring only slightly. In the living room, Izumi'd claimed the couch and slept in Lin's borrowed pajamas while Kya settled on the armchair, fully clothed, her head slowly sliding down from the backrest since she dozed off.

There was the sound of about a dozen feet running up the stairs. Unfortunately, there was no one awake to hear it. Then the front door was kicked open.

Izumi and Kya were the first ones on their feet, Izumi already holding a flame in her fist, deciding in what order she should attack the men.

"Step aside, Ma'am! Or you will be detained," one of the intruders said. Now that her eyes were used to the sudden light from the hall, Izumi could make out that the men were uniformed. Earth Kingdom Military.

"You have absolutely no right to be here!" Kya's gaze searched the table for something she could bend.

"We're looking for a fugitive."

"This is harassment… You just wait until my father, the Avatar, hears about this!" Kya got really close to the man who spoke, pointing a provoking finger at him. Then he grabbed her arm, but before he could pull, a metal cable wrapped around his arm and squeezed until he let go.

Kya turned around and saw Lin with Tenzin at the door to the bedroom, still in her pajamas, but with the addition of her cables.

"Leave." Tenzin said now that they had the intruders' attention. Then, among the soldiers at the front door, Katara managed to push her way through, followed closely by Toph.

"Stand down, let the people do their jobs…" Toph said and sat down on the couch, like it was a done deal. The soldiers seemed to think so, since they ignored all the resistance and scattered around the apartment checking closets and using their seismic sense.

"This is unbelievable! You called them?" Izumi extinguished her fire.

"After what you said yesterday, Kya…" Katara started. "That he was close by. I don't think I had a choice."

"I was trying to comfort you! I was being optimistic!" Kya defended herself, not only to her mother, but to the rest of her friends who were going through this because she couldn't keep something to herself. She hoped more than anything they wouldn't find Bumi now. Not because of her…

Lin turned away for a moment and closed her eyes, trying to feel Bumi with her own seismic sense. She couldn't. He was awake and hiding, as he should be. Unless they started pulling out the floorboards, he was safe for the time being. She gave Tenzin's hand a quick squeeze to let him know he should stop worrying so much. At least about Bumi.

They shared a quick, emotional glance before Lin had to slap another soldier's fingers with her cable, "I don't think he's hiding in my underwear drawer!"

"I don't understand why you're all getting so worked up about this." Toph said. "If you're not hiding him then this will be over real soon and we can all pretend none of this happened."

"That's the thing, we can't." Tenzin stepped forward and towards his mom. "Because this means you don't trust us."

"Of course, I trust you, sweetie. I just-"

"Does Dad know about this?"

"He has other… Other responsibilities to attend to."

"He flew away," Toph cut in, to Katara's great annoyance. "After getting the vote of no confidence, he slept it off then just took Appa and disappeared."

"Is that true, Mom?" Kya asked.

"I'm sure he's out there, doing something to help."

"Not just crying in the forest, you mean…" Toph added.

"It's done, Ma'am," one of the soldiers reported to Toph. "He's not here."

As soon as he said the words Lin, Tenzin, Kya and Izumi all felt like they could breathe again.

"That can't be… He has to be somewhere! He can't just disappear." Katara let herself fall to the sofa.

"What do you want me to do here?" Toph asked rather angrily, but then noticed her friend was at the brink of tears again. "Lin, come here. Barefoot."

"I'm not five, Mom."

That order brought Lin right back to her childhood. Try living your life with a mother who has a built-in lie detector... It was torture and this is how it would start. _If you've got nothing to hide, you've got nothing to worry about_.

"If you've got nothing to hide, you've got nothing to worry about."

Backing out now would only raise suspicion, Lin knew that. So she took a long breath to calm herself and marched to her mom. She tossed both of her slippers off and then looked Toph directly in the eye.

"If you do this, I'll never talk to you again." Lin threatened.

"And we have our first lie of the day…" Toph smirked. "Now let's cut to the chase… Do you know where Bumi is?"

Lin was the one to explain to all of them how dangerous it was to be around Toph at this time. She was the one to teach them all the techniques of fooling truth-seers, that might just be enough to fool her mom.

After all, Lin and Su had been trying to do just that since they were little. The tricks were not bad, but Su'd clamed she'd done it once, not by any trick, but by altering her way of thinking about it. By using her memories, good and bad, to control her heart.

"No." Lin said.

"Are you sure, kid? Because hearts don't lie."

"I'm not lying. You didn't feel a thing."

"She's right. She doesn't know anything, Katara." Toph turned to her friend. "I told you my kid wouldn't have anything to do with this mess."

Seeing Lin get interrogated, Kya and Tenzin started biting down on their tongue, as to change their base heartrate, just as Lin had taught them. Izumi used the more subtle version of the trick, burning into her own palm with the tips of her fingers. Nevertheless, when Toph asked them they all managed to fool her, even Tenzin. Lin was astonished.

Then as the soldiers started leaving someone else was shoving their way through into the apartment. Izumi couldn't believe her eyes when she recognized Azula in Fire Nation red and black standing at the door with little Iroh.

"Mom!" the boy let go of Azula's hand and ran to Izumi.

"Find him yet?" Azula asked, with all the compassion expected if Katara was missing a hair comb, not a son.

A bit offended, Katara just walked right past her and down the stairs while Toph gave her a slight shake of the head before following. The last soldier to leave closed the door the best he could even though the hinges would definitely need some fixing from Lin's bending.

"Aunt Azula, what are you doing here?" Izumi asked, holding up Iroh.

"Mommy, we missed you, and we came to see you." he said.

"I missed you too, dear." Izumi kissed his head and turned back to Azula. "Is there something going on back home? Is Mom okay?"

"Iroh," Kya cut in. "Let me show you all the nice drawing paper Lin and Tenzin have."

"Yeah, go draw with Kya." Izumi put him down and followed Azula to the table.

"Here it is," Azula started. "Your mother wants you home. She sent me to get you back."

"Back home? I'm not five." Izumi rolled her eyes. "Speaking of five, why'd you bring my son here?"

"Izumi, your mother is worried you're putting yourself at an unnecessary risk with this Bumi situation. What's more, if the people make even a slight connection between you, the Fire Nation Crown Princess, and the man who assassinated the Earth King, well… I don't have to tell you that could bring up some bad memories and lead to more problems."

"So I'm being summoned home for the Fire Nation?"

"And for your own good. Mai thinks Bumi clouds your judgement and I, unfortunately, agree. As for Iroh, I figured I'd run into resistance on your part, so I decided to-"

"Force my hand?" Izumi knew she couldn't keep helping with her son here. He couldn't be in on the secret, but he also couldn't be given to babysitters without raising suspicion.

"My ship's leaving at sundown and given you're a smart girl and a responsible mother, I trust you two will be coming with me."

With that Azula got up.

"To the rest of you, I hope you find him soon. Bye, bye, Iroh." Azula stopped to pat the boy's head when Zari awkwardly walked through the door.

"I'm sorry for just bursting in but your door seems to have been broken… Mother?"

"Zari? Why are you here?" Azula asked.

"You bring my son, I bring yours." Izumi couldn't help herself.

"I came to give support to my friends in this troubling time," Zari managed, finally. "Tenzin, Kya, how are you holding up?"

"We're trying." Kya walked up to hug him, then Tenzin.

"I'll leave you to it then." Azula felt like it was the perfect moment for her to leave.

"Perfect timing, cousin." Izumi hugged Zari too.

"You didn't say my mom was on your trail." he said.

"It's a new development. As are the soldiers that broke into the apartment. And also…" She pointed at her son, seemingly occupied with drawing at the living room end table.

"You get why she did that, right?" He sat down at the table. "He's at that age when he's like a little parrot. We can't be sure how much he understands and we sure as hell can't let him see… What you're hiding."

"This is all falling apart." Tenzin was seated at the head of the table, running a hand over his forehead. He wondered if they had better chances of saving Bumi while it was just him and Lin who knew, because now it all seemed hopeless. They were so close to being discovered, it was unreal.

"It's not." Lin joined them at the table, "This was good. This went great."

"What are you talking about? They know. They're onto us." Izumi said.

"And we can't go against our parents, they're this world's mightiest heroes." Tenzin added.

"Oh, yeah? If they're the worlds mightiest heroes then," Lin quieted her voice so Iroh wouldn't overhear, "Why is Bumi still safe under the floor?"

"Lin's right, _this_ was their strongest move. And we stuck it out. Together." Kya looked over to Lin, not believing they were on the same page, "They're just people, you know…"

"And they showed their hand," Izumi realized. "Katara thought she was onto us and what did she do?"

"She got the army to arrest him and us," Tenzin said in disbelief. "She could have just come to talk to us, but she reported it."

"I can't believe I was feeling sorry for her just now," Kya said. "We obviously did the right thing not telling any of them."

"They believe in the world too much." Everyone was surprised to hear this from Lin.

"They helped build it," Tenzin said.

"Well, sometimes if you want justice, you have to make it happen for yourself." Lin finished her thought.

"This might be unpopular, but how about we at least try telling my mom?" Zari offered and got mostly head shakes in response.

"I don't know…" Lin looked around. "She helped us when our parents were missing. She helped a bunch of times when we wanted to sneak out and go somewhere. She's been on our side."

"I love her, but she's my dad's advisor, she needs to look out for the Fire Nation's best interest. What I'm doing right now isn't it." They were all a little surprised when Izumi admitted that.

"Alright, so not her either," Zari accepted. "You still have to get Iroh away from here."

"I'll… I'll get him to my hotel room, and we'll figure things from there." Izumi stood up. "Keep your radio on and… Tell You-Know-Who I love him."

She left with Iroh swiftly after that and a few seconds later they heard movement in the bed room. Then Bumi showed up at the door.

"What in the world was that?" He stretched, lazily. "Prince Zari."

"Lieutenant Bumi."

"Thanks for coming."

"Of course."

They shook hands jokingly and then slipped into a hug.

"How much of that did you hear?" Kya asked Bumi.

"Not a lot, but I did hear the most important thing… You all lied to Toph. Successfully."

"It's really just a matter of-" Tenzin was interrupted.

"A miracle is what it is." And if that could be possible, Bumi could convince himself that getting out of this horrid situation was also possible. That he'll be able to talk to his parents again, walk down the street with Izumi, get back to his job…

Then he noticed it. Little Iroh was staring at him from the front door. The one that couldn't close right.

"Bu-bu!" Iroh cheered and walked inside. "Want to see my drawings?"

Izumi was at the door just a few seconds too late.

"I'm sorry, guys. He wanted to get his artwork and I couldn't catch him."

"Well, that's it. We're finished," Bumi said.

**oooooooooo**

"So what did you do then?" Suyin asked, while paying a man at a stand.

"Nothing, really. Izumi and Lin are going to try and explain to him that he should lie about seeing Bumi, but if I'm being honest, I don't think it's going to work." Zari watched as Su was handed a box of cigarettes. "I still don't quite understand the importance of this?"

"It's simple." She took a cigarette our with her mouth and waited until he lighted it with his finger. "We're going to talk to triad members, and we need to get them to feel comfortable to open up. So we fit in. That's why I'm dressed like a streetwalker and that's why we need to smell of smoke."

She handed him a cigarette. He reluctantly put it in his mouth and lit the tip.

"I don't think it'll matter if Iroh blows the whole thing…" He coughed a little, hoping she didn't notice.

She did. "With Lin teaching him how to lie, he's doomed."

"Don't be like that. Just this morning she managed to lie to your mother. She had her barefoot and everything, they tell me…"

Su had to admit to herself, that was impressive. She'd been to the Spirit World, but lying to Toph took way more mastery over your mind. Good for Lin…

"How much longer? These things are fowl…" Zari took the cigarette out and examined it closely.

"No joke, you're the most spoiled pirate in the world…"

"Pirate _hunter_. Small lexical difference, huge semantic difference."

"That's all fine, but you should be happy I didn't insist on anything with more of a kick…" She blew out a smoke ring.

"You don't mean…" Zari leaned in a lowered his voice. "The drugs?"

"_The drugs_?" she mocked him. "Only you would say it like that… Yeah, that's why the Terra Triad is number one in the city. We get the best stuff directly from the Kingdom. Spirit Dust, Desert Candy, Scorching Ice."

"We?"

"I'm just getting into character." She dropped what was left of her cigarette and stepped on it. "Let's go."

"How exactly do you need me to contribute?" he asked, following her on the sidewalk.

"Just don't talk. The smoke can't cover up your vocabulary."

"You know, being called too eloquent for a job isn't the insult you think it is."

"Trust me." She stopped across the street from their destination. "You just stand behind me and look dangerous on top of your usual handsome."

"Will do." He leaned in and kissed her. "One for the road."

The building Su dragged him into next looked like an ordinary china shop. Even from inside, colorful ceramics and nothing more to it. While Zari gawked around looking for hidden signs of menace, Su walked right up to the heavily disinterested saleswoman.

"I need to see Lil' Ping."

"No one here by that name. Buy a plate or get out." The woman didn't even look up from the newspaper she was reading.

"I'm an old customer."

"He's not her right now."

"Oh, really? He's not… Say, getting high in the back room? With the pretty green silk curtains..."

Now the woman looked up.

"Stop wasting my time and go tell him White Jade is here to see him." Su glanced to the back door and back.

"I know for a fact White Jade is a kid…"

"Not anymore." Su moved her shirt revealing her whole shoulder and the small white flower tattoo there. The woman's eyes went wide.

"Wait here." She immediately rushed into the back room.

"Told you, it's no problem for me." Su turned with a smirk. Zari just stared at the tattoo. He actually loved it ever since the first time she showed it to him. He thought it was some poetic, profound expression of her soul, but it looked like it was just another triad thing. Another way they marked her.

He opened his mouth to say something, but was distracted when an incredibly tall and muscular man filled with tattoos came in through the back door. So this was _Lil'_ Ping?

"Su?" Ping lifted her off the ground in a long hug. "Last I heard, you were busted in that robbery?"

"Don't believe everything you hear… Boss is just keeping me low, like always."

"So what can I do you for?"

"I need to speak to Bai. And you always know where to find the bastard." Su played with her hair.

"And here I thought you two were still sweet on each other."

"Do you know where he is or not?"

"Anything for White Jade." Ping led them into the back room and then through another door into an alley.

"I didn't know you were this deep," Zari said while they followed Ping through the narrow streets.

"I didn't want Mom to know. It'd break her heart." Su made sure the big man wasn't listening. "And I wanted to forget about it. It's not like I'm proud."

"It's okay. I just figured you'd have told me. So you did more than that one robbery?"

"I was the Chief's daughter. They brought me along to all kinds of jobs, because they knew she'd just let it slide if we were found out."

"Like a get out of jail free card?"

"I contributed… But I didn't hurt anyone," she added quickly. "I was younger. I liked the social status, the money, the boys, the attention…"

"I'm not judging you, I'm just curious."

"And there's another thing. This man we're going to see… We used to have a thing, him and I. And I never broke it off or anything. I just left."

"You don't own me an explanation." And Zari meant it at that moment. She wasn't his girlfriend, they were… complicated. They did almost everything a normal couple would, but while keeping it secret and keeping it casual. Su made it very clear she didn't like to be someone's, and he could understand that. She said it made her feel old and too much like Lin, but that he didn't get since the only thing she made him feel is happy.

"I know, I just don't want to see you boiling over in the background if he-"

"We're here!" Ping interrupted. At last they were at a back door to a restaurant. Ping didn't go in with them, which Zari didn't adore, but Su looked like she knew where she was going. She led them to a small room where four men played cards while ten others stood guard.

"Well, I'll be damned… White Jade!" A man, who Zari could only assume was Bai, stood up and pulled Su to him. It looked like it was going to be another hug, before Bai crashed his lips to Su's. Zari would be lying if he said the fact that the man was in his late twenties didn't bother him, or the fact that Su looked as surprised at this as him, or the fact the man's hands were all over her. But Zari kept quiet. He knew that if Su really had a problem with this, she'd kick Bai's teeth out with a rock herself.

"I missed you, babe," Bai said.

"I need to talk to you for a second. Alone."

"I'd love to give you some one-on-one attention later, Jade, but I'm in the middle of a game now." He sat back at the table and picked his cards back up. "You can come keep me company for good luck." He gestured to his lap. The whole room waited to see Su's reaction. She walked to stand behind him with a smile and then leaned in.

"With that hand you'd need a freaking miracle, babe," she said, making everyone else in the room laugh or at least crack a smile. "I wanna play too and then we'll talk. Deal me in."

"A big girl now, are you?" Bai smirked and stood up again, gesturing for her to take his spot. "Win this for me, big girl, then I'll talk about anything you want."

That's when Zari saw Su's confidence slip. She obviously wasn't a very good player, and everything suddenly depended on it.

"You in, White Jade?"

"Damn straight." She sat down and just like that the snarky confidence mask was back. "Wen, here!"

Su used Zari's father's name and he immediately walked to stand behind her.

"Since when do you walk with a muscle?" Bai asked.

"Can't I have some luck of my own?" Su put Zari's hand on her shoulder. "You just keep it there, handsome."

After that Zari decided to risk it and lean in to whisper into her ear.

"I can count cards," was all he said, and it was enough to bring a smirk to her face. This was going to be fun…

"What?" Bai asked.

"Nothing. Just can't wait to get all that money." Su raised her feet from the floor as was custom to prevent truthseers from cheating and the game was on.

Zari did his math magic and signaled the best strategy to Su by controlling the heat of his hand on her shoulder. They needed a few turns to completely synchronize but soon they were destroying. Bai looked like he'd cry of happiness. The game ended with every player but Su completely penniless.

"Everybody out." Bai finally ordered and the men, together with their bodyguards, left with their heads slumped, probably rethinking their life choices.

"So what do you need to know?" He sat in the chair next to Su. Zari reluctantly released his grip on her shoulder.

"Three of our guys were whacked a few nights ago. Hear about it?"

"Sure did. Terrible."

"Word is they were going to snitch. Anything about that?"

"No. I heard Threats did them in. Why would they get rid of our snitches?"

Su looked back at Zari. Dead end. They couldn't afford one now.

"Sorry, I can't be of more help, doll." Bai lit a cigarette. "You should ask their little brother if you're so interested…"

"Their what?" Su turned back.

"Their little brother. The three men were brothers. They had a fourth one named… Spirits, I can't remember. Kid, like fourteen or something. Yan! He found their bodies… Tragic is what it is."

"You're sure about this?"

"Boss had me running security on the kid for the last two days. They have him in hiding now, just in case someone wants to finish the job."

"Could you get me a meeting with him?"

"I could go ask around… I'm not on security anymore."

"That would be perfect."

**oooooooooo**

"So how long's your break?" Kya asked, serving three cups of fresh tea.

"This isn't a break, I asked to go home early." Lin picked up one of the cups, glancing over to where Tenzin was playing with Iroh. Her boyfriend let the little boy draw on his palms, around the tattoos.

"And the Chief let you? But I thought you said he was a jerk?" Kya sipped her tea, gesturing to Tenzin to come get his too.

"He is, but he doesn't trust me around while everyone's working on Bumi's case. He's got good instincts." Lin looked at her tea. "Anyway, Zari called me at work. He has something, he said he'll come over any minute now."

"And if we can't find the evidence? Do we have a backup plan then?"

"We'll find it. Failure isn't an option."

"But shouldn't we have a plan? Just in case…"

"You should really talk to Izumi about that. She's the one with the most resources." Lin stood up. "Quick shower. Before Zari gets here and we get back to work."

Lin didn't know why she felt the need to excuse herself to Kya. After all, this was her damn apartment. Lately, it's been easy to forget… She just wanted an excuse to get away, but a shower actually sounded nice now that she'd said it aloud. Opening the door to the bathroom, she was met with a surprise, since it was occupied. Izumi was sitting in the bathtub, completely dressed, and crying her eyes out.

"Sorry… Um, I can… Come back."

"Shut the door."

Lin obeyed before she realized Izumi probably meant _get out and shut the door_, not _come in and shut the door_.

"Are you okay, Izumi?" Lin remembered seeing the Princess like this when they were kids once. Lin was about ten and seeing her friend trembling and breathing heavily all of a sudden scared her. But she was a police officer now, and she saw plenty of people in complete shock or panic.

"It's done… Iroh won't be able to keep his mouth shut and…"

Izumi was older, so Lin didn't really have an idea on how to comfort her. She never had to do it before. Tenzin would probably know what to say to her, but she couldn't very well call him in… She slowly moved towards the tub and sat down in there opposite the Princess.

"I promise you, I won't let anything happen to Bumi." Lin held out her hand and Izumi took it. "We're close, I can feel it."

She couldn't. She was lying. Usually, after this long working on a case, she could feel the pieces slowly start connecting, forming a full picture. This time there was just nothing.

"You must think I'm so pathetic, hiding here like-"

"No one thinks that, Izumi."

"Yeah…" She chuckled to herself. "You, the cop… Being good in horrible situations is literally your job description. And I'm just a princess that gets a panic attack every time things get hard."

"I thought you didn't get them anymore. I mean, that's what you told Bumi…"

"Well, I thought I was done with that too, when I stopped being a stupid teenager, but… Guess, not. I just thought about having all that power, as a bender, as a princess, and not being able to save the man I love, and it was too much. Maybe I am stupid for getting myself and my son in the middle of all this."

"Look, I'd do everything you did and stupider for Tenzin." Lin smiled awkwardly and Izumi smiled back. "Better?"

"Better. I don't know what came over me, I just came to wash my face and I felt like I was thirteen again. I actually felt like someone was choking me."

"I guess, we never really get over some stuff." Lin got up to leave the tub, but Izumi pulled her back.

"What do you mean?"

"Take me and my mother. We spent every one of my teenage years fighting and I just kept waiting to outgrow that anger. But I never did. Just this morning I used it to control my heartbeat and lie to her, worked better than biting my tongue. What I wanna say is, me and Mom will always have a messed-up relationship and maybe you'll never outgrow your… attacks."

"Or Bumi."

Tenzin barged into the room.

"Sorry, I was told Lin was here alone," he said. "What are you doing?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Izumi laughed and wiped away her remaining tears.

"Zari's here?" Lin asked, getting out of the tub.

"No. But Azula is." Tenzin led them to the dinning table where Azula was seated.

"I trust you and little Iroh are packed and ready to go?" She tapped her nails on the table lazily.

"Actually, no. We're staying here until we hear news that Bumi is okay and that all his charges are dropped." Izumi managed. She was a crying mess just a few minutes ago, but standing there with all her friends was bringing her strength back.

"Oh, really? Iroh, would you come here for a second?" Azula called the little boy over, then smiled down at him, asking, "Did you see Bumi today, Iroh?"

"No." He shook his head. Izumi'd told him that it was all a game they were playing with Azula, but was pretty sure it hadn't worked.

"Did anyone talk about him maybe?" Azula continued.

"No… Why? Is he coming?"

Izumi felt wrong about how proud Iroh's lying made her. Did that mean she was a bad mother? Probably not.

"Can I go draw now?" he asked.

"Sure." Azula surrendered and the boy ran away to the living room where he was working on his drawings.

"Was there anything else?" Lin asked.

"In fact, there was." Azula leaned further into the chair. "You may be able to fool your parents, but not me. I know you know where he is, and you need to tell me so I can help you."

No one said anything.

"This is serious," she continued. "They didn't find him here, obviously, but that doesn't mean you're not suspects. You parents shared it with the Earth Kingdom rather unwisely, so you'll all probably be followed from now on. Wherever you're keeping him, they'll find it sooner or later unless I help you."

Silence again.

"We really don't know anything, Aunt Azula." Izumi said.

"You're all acting like I've just met you… You're really sticking with this all together, one for all and all for one thing? Fine. I really am sorry I have to do this, but there's no way you can hold your group together without anyone cracking…"

"We really have nothing to hide." Tenzin tried.

"Let's start with the easy stuff then. Do you actually know he isn't guilty? Sure, you don't think he's that kind of man, but do you actually _know_? Have you even for a second thought about the fact that you all may be protecting a murderer."

"My brother is no murderer," Tenzin said. "And when they find him wherever he is, he'll prove it."

"No murderer, sure, but how about a liar, a cheater? Huh, Izumi? Sacrificing your nation's well-being for a man that betrayed you, how does that feel? Risking life in prison for a man who cheated on you with the first girl that looked his way?"

"Stop it," Izumi muttered. "We know what you're doing…"

"No? How about this then, in any group of young people there's bound to be some unresolved romantic tension. So how about it? Tenzin and Izumi?" Azula tried and the whole room almost burst out laughing. If there was a more platonic friendship…

"Lin and Bumi?" Azula took another shot and no one seemed to be bothered. "I know… Kya and Izumi."

Izumi's face was as still as a statue, but Kya's eyes darted slightly.

"Kya?" Tenzin couldn't help, but notice.

"What? Nothing happened." Kya said, rather unconvincingly.

"It was one time, okay?" Izumi surrendered. "It doesn't change anything. I would still help Bumi if I had the chance… Are you about done now?"

"I have one more, and it's a good one," Azula said, and turned to Lin. "You stopped talking to your mother, Lin, because she abused her power, isn't that right? She disregarded her duty and she let your sister act like she was above the law… But hiding Bumi, it would be the same exact thing, wouldn't it? Only you'd be risking your job, something you hold so dear…"

"Get out." Lin managed through the rage rising in her.

Everyone waited without breath to hear Azula's reaction to that, when there was a knock. Kya opened the door and let Zari in. He took one look at Tenzin's scared face, Kya's embarrassed side-glance and the anger in Lin's eyes and could immediately tell his mother was to blame.

"Leave them alone, Mother," he insisted. He should have known better than to let Su delay him. But they had just cheated a bunch of dangerous criminals and gotten away with it. It left them both unable to keep their hands off each other.

"Stay out of this, love."

Zari focused. In his life he'd seem his mother talk her way out of many situations, sometimes even make sworn allies point their weapons at each other in minutes. He couldn't just let her do it here, he had to try something.

"Why are you so intent on getting Izumi to the Fire Nation?" he asked.

"Child, don't start with me."

"You know what I think?" It was one of his mother's favorite sentences to use, but he now needed a hypothesis to follow. An educated guess. "I think Mai didn't send you at all. She's always had a soft spot for Bumi."

"Ambitious, but I refuse to play."

"Do you have a paper she gave you? Anything to prove it?" Zari stuck to his original idea, since none other came to mind. How did she do this?

"You think I have personal interest in this?" she mocked.

"Interesting choice of words there, Mother… Personal. I think this is somehow personal."

"If you're insinuating I had anything to do with what happened to the King…"

"No, no… I'm insinuating you're here less as the Fire Lord's advisor and more as an aunt." He was ready for her to laugh it off any second now. He was pulling it out of his ass after all. But she didn't. Maybe he wasn't so bad at this… She showed him an in, now was the time to double down. "You showed almost no worry when I got involved. I could get the Fire Nation blamed if I wasn't careful, just as easily as Izumi. You didn't even talk to my crew and try to find out things about the girl I'm hiding on my ship. You're distracted. Why Izumi?"

Azula looked to her niece. "You're still young, you… If things keep going as they are now, Bumi will be executed as soon as they find him. You don't need to see that."

"Aunt Azula, I appreciate the sentiment, but I'm-"

"When they killed Zari's father, I wasn't far. Within hearing range, even. It will haunt you if you stay, till the day you die. You will see it when you close your eyes, you will hear it in the wind."

Izumi didn't really know what to say to that. That was what she was most afraid of, loosing Bumi to this stupid set-up. But she couldn't leave him to make herself feel better. She tried to speak, but Zari beat her to it.

"And if there was still a chance to save Dad, what would you do?" he asked.

Azula closed her eyes shortly. "Anything."

And just like that, they had her. Azula stood up and put her hands on Izumi's shoulders. "This visit never happened. Good luck." Then she turned to her son. "Well played. Also, I've known about the girl on your ship for months and I approve."

"You never approve…" Zari said when his mother was already at the door. "You burned my last girlfriend."

"For the hundredth time, that was an accident. But this time I approve." And with that she left.

Nobody said anything for a few minutes, then Bumi came charging out of the bedroom.

"You did it, boy!" He smacked Zari so hard on his back that the boy almost stumbled. "Oh, I wish I saw her face when she left… Come on, put your hands together for the man!"

Bumi actually got them to applaud. Despite the atmosphere Tenzin noticed Lin's thoughts weren't really there. Izumi tried to hold Bumi's hand, but he stepped away.

"So what's the news, Pirate Prince?" Bumi asked.

"Oh, right… There was a fourth brother." Zari slowed down, seeing Lin open her notebook. "His name is Yan and he's still alive. The Terra Triad has been hiding him, since his brothers were attacked. My guy says, he's your best bet at finding out what that letter was about."

"I would have noticed another brother in the files." Lin said.

"Yan's what… Fourteen, maybe… He doesn't have a criminal record at all. It'd be easy to miss, but he's definitely involved with the triad."

"I'll go check now." Lin put her notebook away and started bending her armor back on.

"I also asked my guy to get us a meeting," Zari said after her. "He can't promise anything, but he'll try."

"I'll find him myself. Can you just trust I can do this?!" Lin snapped and left the apartment.

"Lin, wait!" Tenzin followed his girlfriend into the hall.

"What?"

"Please don't let Azula get in your head. We're doing the right thing. We're okay."

"Nothing about this is okay, Tez…" With that she left down the stairs. Tenzin stood in the hallway thinking for a few more seconds before he heard shouting from inside the apartment. He came back inside.

"We were broken up, Bumi!" Izumi yelled. "It was just that one time."

"Yeah, Bumi, it was a mistake!" Kya added.

"I'm a mistake to you?" Izumi turned back to the woman.

"You know what I mean…"

"I just don't understand _why_ it had to be my sister?!" Bumi cut in.

"Not everything's about you, you know!" Kya snapped at her brother.

"Stop it!" Tenzin screamed, bringing everyone's attention to him. "That's exactly what she wanted… Us here fighting like children, over this and that, while we should be working on helping Bumi."

"He's right, you know…" Zari added. "I drove her away for now, but we need to focus on finding this kid."

"Lin's taking care of that. Izumi, I'll need you and Iroh to go shop for food. Kya, you and I'll go talk to Mom and Dad and kill any suspicion they have left. Zari-"

"Talk to my contact, find the boy. Got it." He nodded and swiftly left the apartment.

"Bumi, you just-"

"Sit in the hole. On it, Sir." Bumi fake saluted and started dragging his feet to the bedroom.

**oooooooooo**

Yan. Yan. Yan.

Lin searched the files for the fourth brother. At least a last known address would be a place to start. Or maybe a school he went to. Lin was more used to looking for hardened criminals, than scared teenagers.

It was rather late when she found Yan's file, and she'd stopped caring about being quiet long ago. She decided to take a few more minutes and make another copy of Bumi's file to see how far along her colleagues were. She did so with minimal worry of being discovered since almost everyone had already gone home.

Everyone except her partner Jun, who searched for her, wishing to rant about his recent break-up to his best friend. When he saw her doing something in the vault and hid, she didn't notice. When he stayed behind to check what files she'd been copying, she didn't notice. And when he went into the Chief's office later, she didn't notice.

Lin hurried home where everyone was waiting for her already. They put Iroh to bed and then spread the pictures and the documents across the dinner table and the walls. _Murder collages,_ Tenzin called them. It was supposed to help you connect everything, but Lin still wasn't seeing it. It still looked like two cases to her. Who'd hire the Triple Threats for this? And why did they wait a year for it since they stole the knife? And why Bumi at all?

One by one the others went to sleep. Izumi went to join Iroh in the bed, first. Then an hour later Kya fell asleep on the couch and finally, Tenzin dozed off in the armchair a few hours after that. But Lin was still standing over the table, reading that letter from the dead triad member over and over again.

"Anything?" Bumi asked, emerging from the bedroom.

"Not really." She raised her eyes from the papers. "Shouldn't you be under?"

"Just had to stretch my legs a bit." He stopped near the table so he could take another look too. "You should have seen Tenzin after you left. My baby brother had us all running our own missions without a word…"

"He did say you were all being difficult…" She looked back down to the evidence.

"You know I'd be lost without you two, right? You, in particular," he said, and Lin just shrugged it off. "I've been so selfish, I didn't even think about you losing your job, even if we succeed."

"Better than you losing your life."

"I still wouldn't blame you if you were concerned about it. You have every right to be… You didn't ask for this."

"If a police officer isn't supposed to save an innocent person from a death sentence, then I don't think I want to be one anymore."

"That's all cool and everything, but… What I was building to is, I talked to Izumi, and if we can't find this boy, can't link the Triple Threats to what happened, she'll help me hide. She has people she trusts, and I'll be off your back. Then neither you nor Tenzin could suffer on my part."

"No, no way…" Lin shook her head. "Believe me, I've looked for fugitives before, that's no life to live. Besides, Tenzin and I have far less to lose. If they link Izumi to you, you know what happens."

"I know, I know, problems, wars, chaos… But she loves me, she wants to help. It's not that crazy." Bumi sat down at the table.

"She does love you. She'd do anything for you." Lin sat down as well, and made eye contact. "But she's not just your girlfriend. She's the only heir to a whole nation and a mother. She should have never been involved in this. Tenzin… He told her because he has a soft heart and didn't want her to worry about you, but it was a mistake. She loves you too much to leave, but, Bumi, she has to."

"You want Izumi to leave?"

"I want her and Iroh to be clear of the fallout from this, but she'd never leave on her own. You need to tell her. You need to make up something and you need to send her away."

"No… I'm not lying to her."

"Damn it, Bumi, you need to keep her safe from this. She's risking so much more than the rest of us."

"I can't. Could you do it to Tez?"

"If something in my life threatened his well-being, I would cut all ties and get away from him. Because loving them means not dragging them down with you."

He stared at her intently for a few seconds before mumbling, "I'm sick of this."

"Of what?"

"You all outgrowing me."

"That's ridiculous."

"It's not really. I'm the oldest, I remember everything perfectly. We used to be a sort of family. Better, actually, since we were also a team at one point. But now, we've pulled apart. Izumi's a mom and in normal circumstances knows better than to date the likes of me. Zari's a ship captain and in his free time collects university diplomas like Wo Shi Tong collects books. Kya's serious with that girl she's dating and smart enough to keep her well away from this. You and Tenzin are a crime-fighting, balance-restoring super-couple, that was moving in together before I came and mocked everything up. I'm the only one that's going nowhere. I've given so much of my life to the army, to pleasing my dad and now that I'm in trouble, they both turned their backs to me."

"Yeah… You're just the guy we'd risk all that for."

**oooooooooo**

_**Yeah, got carried away… I regret nothing, I wanted to pay my girl Su and my boy Zari some attention in this story finally. So, yeah, my Su has way more to do with the triad than is canon. I just found it more interesting… Zari and her are more like friends with benefits at this point, cause they're young and fun and I'm afraid of making all my happy couple the same…**_

_**In retrospect this probably should have been two chapters, but I wanted to keep it together because it had that standing up to parents theme, with Lin and Zari getting one over on their mothers.**_

_**Bumi's also kind of down on himself and the world after everything that's been happening, but who could blame him…**_

_**Anyway, reviews are cool, and that's it from me for another couple of days :)**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Big thanks for every review. We're nearing the end of this…**_

**oooooooooo**

**Chapter 6**

"Republic City Police! Open up!"

Lin was woken by sharp knocks on the front door. She twitched up and realized she must have dozed off at the table looking at files last night. Tenzin and Kya were also slowly coming to their senses.

"Open up, or we will bring down the door!"

Lin scanned the papers on the desk. They were all about her triple murder case, she gave Bumi all the rest when he retired to his hole for the night. She took a deep breath and bended the lock open.

Chief Hong strutted inside, flanked by four officers, while the rest waited in the hall. Did he bring the entire station here?

"You're wasting your time. We were searched just yesterday!" Kya said. The cops ignored her and walked to surround Lin.

"Lin Beifong, you're under arrest for tampering and spoliation of evidence, obstruction of justice and treason," the Chief said, giving a little nod to his people to grab hold of Lin. "Please, go quietly."

"You're mistaken, she hasn't done anything!" Tenzin shoved forward so Hong would see him. Lin dodged a woman trying to take her wrist. She looked around. One man had a pair of platinum cuffs on the ready.

So this was where it ended. If she was being honest, she though she had a little more time to get it done, but it was all over now.

"Don't make this harder than it has to be, Lin," the Chief continued. She could sense in his voice that he was enjoying himself. But why? Did he actually dislike her that much? Or maybe her mother…

"Okay, I'll go." She put her hands out slowly and a man closed the cuffs around them. She looked to the hallway. No familiar faces. On purpose, for sure. She didn't have a lot of actually friends at the station, but they all knew she wasn't a traitor.

"Lin?" Kya asked, desperation in her voice.

"It'll be fine, Kya." Lin let them lead her into the hall, where she was handed over to two new people who would lead her to the station. Now she did recognize someone. Jun grabbed her right arm and hulled her down the stairs.

"Jun, you know what this is about?" she asked, but he didn't even spare her a glance. "Jun? Jun, I know you can hear me."

The Chief followed close after, but some of the officers stayed behind to search the apartment again.

"I'll go with Lin. You run and get Mom and Dad. They can't do this." Tenzin told Kya and then hugged her, whispering into her ear, "Don't worry. They won't find him."

She nodded and he was off, running down the stairs.

"Did that just happen?" Izumi ran out of the bedroom with Iroh. She hated herself for hiding in there, but she didn't want Iroh seeing Auntie Lin dragged away by the police. The kid deserved so much better than being in the middle of all of this.

"What do the policemen want, Mommy?" the little prince asked, clutching Izumi's nightdress.

"They're just looking for something, dear. They won't be long." she told him and stroked his hair.

"I'm going to see what the Avatar and Toph have to say about this," Kya said, and turned to leave, but Izumi caught her wrist. "Take Iroh with you, please."

One look between them was enough for Kya to remember the boy could give them away with one sentence. She took his hand and started leading him towards the door, saying how they'll go play at her house.

"Hey!" one of the policemen called out. "I need to interrogate all of you."

"Really?" Izumi feigned surprise, "Well, officer, as soon as I see one of them, I'll let them know."

"What are you talking about? She's right there-" The man turned, but Kya and Iroh were gone.

**oooooooooo**

Lin used the drive to the police station to try and get through to Jun. He had to drive on the back seat with her per regulation and she kept trying to get his attention, but she was ultimately unsuccessful. She wondered what kind of lies Hong had told him, that made him act like this. They've known each other since… Forever. Since they were both sixteen and enrolled in the academy. He was the first friend she made there and one who didn't try to put the moves on her or use her to get special treatment from Toph.

"Whatever they told you, Jun… I-" she tried again when they stopped in front of the station.

"I saw you! My own eyes!" he finally spoke. "I thought we were friends. I thought we were honest cops. But guess not…"

"_You_ turned me in?"

"The saddest thing is, I almost didn't… I wanted to believe you weren't a dirty cop so much, I almost kept it to myself."

"You should have come to me? I would've explained."

After that he pulled her out of the car and started pulling her towards the station. There, sitting on the sidewalk, was Tenzin, leaned on his glider. He'd used it to come faster and waited for her there.

"This is police brutality! You have no right!" he yelled after them as they dragged Lin up the stairs of the station. He kept yelling similar things while they put her in an interrogation room and cuffed her to the table in there. Then the Chief gave a nod and the officers left just him and Jun with Lin. They left the door open and Lin was sure it was on purpose.

"Jun, just listen to me. I can explain…" Lin talked only to him and ignored the Chief, but it was obvious by Jun's face he didn't care for what she had to say.

"You'll have your chance. Right here." Jun sat opposite her with a notepad and turned on the recording device.

"No, boy." Chief Hong turned it off. "I think it's better if we keep this one only on paper."

Lin knew what that meant.

"Begin." Hong ordered.

"I saw you yesterday, going through a case file that isn't in your jurisdiction and making an illegal copy." Jun looked at her now, but with so much disgust it somehow hurt more.

"I was tired, I took the wrong file… By the time I realized, I-"

"No, you didn't touch anything else. Just the file about the King's assassination."

"Alright…" Lin said through her teeth. "I was worried about my friend being a suspect. I wanted to check if you had any other suspects, because I don't believe he did it."

"That's still illegal." Jun said.

"You know what I think, Detective." Hong took a seat on the table near Lin's hands. "I think little Lin knows where her friend is, and she wanted to check where she could send him, so he'd be safe. Where is he, huh?"

"The only thing I can tell you about Bumi is that he didn't do it."

"You need to tell us everything you know," Jun said. "If you don't, he'll get away and this whole thing will fall on you. Assassination of a king..."

"I am sorry, Lin, but we need to start making headway with this case, the world is counting on us." Hong said and Lin immediately knew what he meant.

"Go ahead then. Do it." She clenched her jaw. Then Hong slapped her across the face.

Jun stood up and was ready to say something, when Tenzin burst in.

"That… That's against the law… You can't just…" He had his fist pointed at the Chief.

"Tenzin, no! Leave, please!" Lin begged. He wanted to listen, but there was a stream of blood going from her lip and he wanted the man responsible to pay.

"Come on, flyboy, make my day." Hong turned and stared at Tenzin.

"Tez, if you do that, if you attack him, they'll have grounds to arrest you too." Lin struggled against her cuffs. "And I need you to not be arrested."

"He'll hurt you!" Tenzin felt like crying from the helplessness.

"I'll be fine… I promise. Go home." Lin said.

Leave her? He couldn't just leave her. What kind of man would let his girlfriend be attacked like this? He tried to bring to mind his father's teachings. Control your impulses… There is a better way…

Tenzin lowered his hand.

"Pathetic." Hong hissed.

Lin didn't know what took over her, she just slammed her foot into Hong's shin.

"Oh, you'll get yours." The Chief grabbed hold of her shirt. Her face was still pure defiance, not a hint of fear there. He hit her again, with a closed fist this time.

Then the ground begun shaking. Hong let go of Lin, his face worried like he was the one being arrested. Jun sunk back into his chair again. Lin was just grinning. They all knew what it meant. Toph was coming.

In a few seconds, one of the walls opened, letting the former chief inside.

"Hong! What are you doing?!" Toph pointed.

"It's Chief now."

"I don't care if it's Super-Emperor of the Lands of Man, that is my daughter and you have no right."

Hong was actually lucky, because if Toph could see he'd struck Lin prior to her arrival, there'd be hell to pay.

"She's been caught in a crime. What am I supposed to do?" He tried to remain calm, but Lin loved how he was failing.

"Her? That's ridiculous! She's the biggest stickler for the rules I have ever met. A total buzzkill. She loves rules more than Tenzin."

"Thanks, Mom…" Lin added sarcastically.

"This officer saw her." Hong said, gesturing at Jun.

"Then he's lying. Simple." Toph waved and the metal table trapped Jun's hands. "I searched her apartment with a battalion of soldiers. She passed my truthseer test. I did your job for you. Now you need to keep looking…"

Hong tried to bend the metal off Jun's hands, but found it impossible since Toph was still holding it in place with her bending.

"You know those tests are not considered evidence," he said.

And it's a good thing they're not, Lin thought.

"You will release her. Or you'll wish you have," Toph said.

"Where would I be if I released prisoners every time their mother swore they're innocent?"

"After I taught you everything you know, you're questioning my objectivity?"

"My parents…" Tenzin interrupted. "Are they-"

"Yeah, kid, they're both coming." Toph nodded and turned to Hong. "Then you'll see what an overbearing mother looks like."

**oooooooooo**

"They're gone… Come on." Izumi stomped on the floor and waited as Bumi pushed the boards and climbed out. Then she put her arms around him and nestled her head in his shoulder.

"Disaster," he said.

"Disaster," she said.

"Do you know when I knew I loved you?" he asked, "When I saw you create lightning for the first time. That's when it _hit me_…"

"That's terrible," she said and contradicted herself by laughing into his shoulder. She wasn't really sure, why… The desperation must have been getting to her slowly.

He embraced her back.

"So it's done?"

"Nothing's done while you're still safe."

"I can't just let Lin-"

"Lin's tough, she'll be fine." Izumi pulled away to look at him, "We need to think of a way to get you out of the city. We'll get you onto Zari's ship somehow, but then… How does Kyoshi Island sound? I'm sure we can get Ty Lee and her daughters to help."

"And just leave Lin?"

"Her Mom was the Chief… She'll be okay. You need to worry about yourself."

And he thought about it… The consequences of leaving Lin as the only person connected to the assassination that they had. Possibly being found on the Fire Nation Prince's ship. Risking more people's lives by bringing them into this.

He kissed her, "Okay."

"Great. I'll go call Zari." She started walking towards the radio in the living room.

"Wait. Tenzin said he took the microphone part off and put it in his nightstand."

"Why?" She stopped.

"You know him and technology…" He shrugged. He waited as she moved to the nightstand, then quickly reached into the hole in the floor to pull out a single paper and shoved it in his pocket. He spared one last glance at Izumi and then ran out of the room, locking the door behind him.

"Bumi?" Izumi turned. "What are you doing?"

"I love you!" She heard him yell and then the front door slam shut.

"Bumi!" She banged on the door. "Don't you dare!"

What in the world was he thinking? If someone saw him then… Then, everything was lost. She mentally apologized to Lin and Tenzin and then fire blasted the door to the bedroom down. Then she did the same to the front door.

She could still catch him before he did something stupid. She had to believe that…

**oooooooooo**

Moving to Republic City officer Jia always dreamed that some day she'd meet Toph Beifong, the Avatar and the rest of his crew. She wasn't prepared for all of it to happen the same day. When she was told to fill in for a secretary at the entrance, she was beyond offended, but she had no idea that would be the busiest day that entrance would see in a long time. First, she met Toph, who after a few exchanged words marched into the station like she owned the place. Which, like… She did. And now it was the Avatar and Katara with their daughter.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am, but she's being interrogated as we speak." Jia tried to sound professional, even though she was talking to the Avatar's wife. "I can't just walk in there and interrupt the Chief while he's working."

"I can hear Toph- Former Chief Beifong in there! If she has a right to be here, then so do we…"

"Katara, the girl's just doing her job…" Aang put a hand on his wife's shoulder.

"So am I. I'm his mother, I want to know what's- Toph!" Katara called for her friend coming from the hall of interrogation rooms with the Chief.

"What did Lin do?" Aang asked.

"She's hiding your son." Hong said as loud as he could. "I'm trying to get her to give up his location, but there are interruptions." He gestured to Toph with his eyes.

"She's not hiding anybody," Toph insisted. "She took a quick look-see at the wrong file. Just suspend her for a few weeks and be done with it."

"Toph, maybe you should let him do his job," Katara said, glaring at her husband. "If we find Bumi he can defend himself against the charges."

Toph shook her head. She was about to say something she was going to regret, when Tenzin ran out of the interrogation room.

"Mom! Dad! They're holding Lin for absolutely no reason. She's not hiding anybody… You checked out apartment, Aunt Toph questioned us… Neither of us know where Bumi is!"

"You had to go all in, did you now?" Toph shook her head. What she could feel and the rest couldn't was that Bumi was currently sprinting towards the station.

Then Tenzin's eyes went wide as he saw Bumi run through the door. He was so surprised he couldn't stop himself from staring and soon everyone turned to look.

"Bumi?" Katara spoke and immediately every officer in the area was prepared to attack, their wrist blades drawn, cables ready.

"Easy! Easy!" He raised his hands slowly, holding a piece of paper in one of them. "I'm turning myself in… I killed the King! I killed him and his son!"

"You idiot…" Tenzin whispered to himself.

"I need to speak to the Chief! Can you call him for me please?" Bumi tried really hard not to look at either of his parents. It would just be to much. With the corner of his eye, he was sure he could see his mother crying… Spirits, this had to end… He just wanted it to end.

"I'm here." Hong stepped forward.

"I want to make a deal."

"Boy, you're surrounded. I don't think you're in any position to be making demands here."

"You know what this is?" Bumi waved the paper around. "A confession. I admit to everything in writing… And I'll sign it."

"Bumi, no!" Izumi ran through the entrance, gasping for breath. "I'm… I'm pregnant."

All eyes immediately turned to her. Katara took Aang's hand to calm him.

"It's been like a day…" Bumi trailed off.

"Okay, I'm not. But you can't be doing this! You can still run! Please…"

"I've heard enough!" Hong said. "Officers, seize the fugitive and the Princess."

"Wait! Just wait!" Bumi struggled as cables wrapped around his hands. "Think about this, man! I sign the confession and you are done! You don't have to prove I did it you just take the credit!"

"Stop!" Hong ordered and the officers let go of Bumi. "Your terms?"

"It's all in here." Bumi put the paper on a desk, "I'm the only one that goes down for this. No accomplices, nothing… I made them all do it. My parents, my siblings, the Princess, Lin, they all walk away."

Hong came over to read through it quickly.

"This is ridiculous!" Aang started. "If he was really guilty, he wouldn't-"

"I have to come clean, Dad!" Bumi still didn't look at the man. "No more lying… I killed the King! I killed the Prince! I made all of them lie for me! I threatened them! I did all of it! Anything you want! Anyone have any open cases?!"

Toph could sense it was all complete lies, but this meant Lin was free. She couldn't risk that. She already had one daughter missing.

"Enough." Hong put down the paper. "You sign it and we take you in. It's a deal."

"Bumi! Don't you dare!" Izumi struggled against the officers who held her.

"I'm glad the truth is out…" Bumi sighed and signed the paper. Immediately, the officers grabbed him and cuffed his hands.

"Get Lin out here. And put this one in her place." Hong ordered and soon a female officer dragged Lin out of one of the rooms and freed her hands. Tenzin ran to her.

"You okay, Lin?" Bumi asked, seeing her bruised eye and blood streaks from her nose and lip.

She nodded. "I won't stop! I'll find it. We'll clear your name!"

"You're not clearing anybody! Detective Beifong, you're fired. Take your stuff, you're off the force," Hong said, like it was nothing and opened the door to another room.

"You bastard! You damn liar! We had a deal!" Bumi yelled.

"The deal stated that she doesn't face charges. And she won't. But I won't have an officer who lies to me and doesn't follow orders… You're done, Lin."

Bumi was dragged into the room, kicking and cursing.

Katara and Aang started arguing with the officer that they should be allowed to see their son at least, while Kya, Tenzin and Izumi started quietly arguing in the corner about who's fault it was exactly. Lin ignored all of them. She slowly went to her desk and started gathering her stuff.

_Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry…_

"Did you really know where he was?" Toph asked from behind her. No answer.

"Hey, I'm talking to you, Linny!" she persisted.

"He was in my apartment. Of course, I knew."

"You lied to me? How?"

"Not everything's about you, Mom…" She took her box and started walking away, but Katara blocked her way.

"Can we talk, sweetie?" she asked. "I can help with the face…"

"What's with her face?" Toph asked and reached to touch Lin's cheek. Lin moved away.

"Nothing. And just so you know, I'll prove he didn't do it!"

She went straight back to the apartment.

Tenzin, Kya and Izumi arrived about a half hour later, having dealt with their parents' questions. Coming up the stairs, Tenzin immediately knew things were bad since he could feel the ground tremoring slightly. They found Lin in the living room, yelling into the radio.

"Zari, come in!"

"Zari, Bumi got arrested you have to pick up! Pick up!"

She ignored them when they sat around her. She ignored it when Tenzin took her hand into hers.

"Zari, pick up!"

"Lin…" Tenzin started. "Just take a little break."

"I can't- I…" Tears started rolling down her cheeks. "I really thought I could do it… I though I could clear his name all on my own." A laugh escaped her. "We should have told our parents from the start. And not play heroes, which we are not. I'm not… I'm not going to do it, am I?"

"We did everything we could…" Tenzin hugged her and slowly took the microphone out of her hand, setting it on the table.

Kya and Lin were never best friends. They weren't even good friends most of the time. Their personalities and world views clashed terribly. But seeing Lin cry and give up hurt Kya beyond measure.

"Zari!" Kya picked up the microphone and continued where Lin stopped. "Zari, pick up! Bumi was arrested!"

Everyone ignored her.

"Zari!"

Izumi shook her head, "It's over."

"No… Our parents are going to do nothing while they think about the moral consequences of all of this. We are going to save my brother!" Kya insisted and turned to the radio. "Zari, pick up!"

She repeated it a couple more times before Izumi joined in unexpectedly.

"Zari, pick up!"

Tenzin was next and then finally Lin.

**oooooooooo**

"Zari, pick up!" the radio screamed with four voices. Zari paced nervously through his room. He couldn't pick up until he had something to tell them.

The Suyin came in, eating an apple.

"Bumi's been arrested!" Zari yelled. Su dropped the apple and cursed.

"It's set. Tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow?"

"It was the best I could do…"

"Zari, pick up!" the radio sounded.

"Are they singing?" Su asked. "Is that Lin?"

"They're more… Chanting." He shrugged.

"Well, answer them…"

Zari picked up.

"I did it. Tomorrow morning you talk to the fourth brother," he said. "What happened with Bumi?"

"It was my faul-" Lin started, but Izumi interrupted.

"It was an accident. Then Bumi turned himself in to keep us safe."

Su told Zari the time and the place of the meeting she'd set, and he conveyed it to keep her presence secret.

"What?" Su asked after Zari hung up.

"I just can't believe Bumi gave up."

"What I find more unbelievable still is that Lin admitted to being wrong." Su smiled. "That's rarer than Sozin's comet…"

"Don't you get it, Su? They'll kill him. They won't just wait around for us to find proof…"

"No way. You just like worrying. Any international council they come up with, Uncle Aang will be on it. And he won't let them kill him first-born son. They'll let him stew in some fancy prison until we can find enough evidence to free him."

"That's the thing. Aang's been banned from the decision on the account of personal involvement."

Su's eyes went wide. "Then they can speak to the Avatar State… Little wush-wush… Splash… Wack-a-pow, and Bumi's out." Su acted out the noises.

"You don't understand. They'll use the trial to reunite Earth Kingdom's two self-proclaimed queens here in the city. It's a delicate political situation. Avoiding a civil war. The plan is to help them make peace, by focusing on their common ground."

"Punishing the King's murderer?"

"Precisely."

"So who else will be deciding? My dad? He's a chief…"

"He's been banned from attending, too, same as Katara."

Su sighed and took a few steps away, falling into a chair.

"Now do you see why I'm upset?" he asked.

"How do you know all this?"

"You know Princess Hou-Ting?"

"I know of her… She's the King's daughter."

"Well, I called her."

"How in the world-"

"Look, it's nothing. I'm a prince, she's a princess, there was a time when Zuko was thinking of marrying us. But it's not happening."

"_What?!_"

"We needed to defuse tensions. Uncle Zuko just wanted me to meet her an see if anything happens. If there was a chance we might be good together when we're both old enough. And I did. She's rather… unpleasant."

"You can say _bitch_, Zari."

"In every meaning of the word." He shuddered. "But I took one for the team and I called her."

"An how's she feeling about all this?"

"She's fourteen and lost her entire family in one night. She's scared, Su. Very scared and unfortunately for us, out for revenge."

**oooooooooo**

_**Alright… Slightly shorter chapter… Next one will be longer.**_

_**Chapter 7 will be the last one, so everything is slowly going to hell.**_

_**Lin's in a hard place this time, and Bumi's all about that hero sacrifice.**_

_**Don't hate on Lin's friend, he was just doing his job. For all he knows she's up to something bad… Little mistakes happen when one's got the weight of the world on their shoulders, and Lin put a lot on herself, that's what doomed the plan.**_

_**Ending in three days…**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**This is it. Be warned, I was not brief… The chapter is again longer than it has any right to be.**_

**oooooooooo**

**Chapter 7**

Sitting in a little cell, chained to the floor, Bumi should have felt angry. Angry at whoever really killed all those people. Angry at whoever planned it all. Angry at himself for being stupid enough to be framed this easily. He also had grounds to be sad. Sad because he'll never attend another family dinner. Sad he'll never wear his red United Forces jacket again. Sad he'll never again get to see Izumi wear it. And there is always regret… Regret for dragging people he loved into this with him. Regret they'll all have to see him beheaded tomorrow. Regret for not spending more time with them while he still had time to spend.

But he didn't feel any of that. Weirdly enough, he didn't feel anything at all.

When joining the army, the drill sergeant told all of them if they were going to stay, they ought to pick their last words sooner rather than later. It was intimidation, but some of his colleagues actually did it. Bumi never did. He figured he'd die doing something rash and stupid, so his last words were going to end up being either _Oops_ or a string of curses. Both seemed appropriate now as well.

Then unexpectedly, around two in the morning, the door to his cell opened revealing eight Earth Kingdom soldiers. He'd been jailed in the City Hall and was supposed to be guarded by a combination of soldiers and Republic City police to make sure there was no incident until his trial at noon.

But the bastards couldn't even wait till then, could they? They were going to kill him right here and now, to not take any chances. Bumi snickered to his fate slightly and then stood up to face them. They could slit his throat just as well if he was standing, but at least they'd know he isn't afraid.

Oh, yes, fear… He should have been feeling that too.

"We're moving you," one of the soldiers said. "Come quietly."

"Why? Don't want to dirty the floor here?" Bumi asked as another soldier stepped forward and detached his cuffs from the floor.

"You'll get what's coming to you at the trial. Our job is to keep you here till then."

Bumi started walking down the hallway, while the soldiers surrounded him. Some of them carrying bows, others swords.

"So what exactly is happening?" he asked and got completely ignored. "It concerns me, man. Don't you think I should know?"

"The policemen that were supposed to be guarding you with us tonight just disappeared."

"What, all of them?!"

The man nodded. "That means someone is either planning to free you or kill you, and we're here to stop either."

Now Bumi was scared. He didn't even want to consider it being Lin risking everything again. He liked the idea of it being Izumi even less. But who else…

The group rounded a corner and after a few steps froze in shock.

"Azula?" Bumi asked seeing the woman casually strolling the corridor like it was her damn house they were intruding in.

"Ma'am, you are not allowed to be here." The soldiers raised their swords and readied their bows.

"You're not going to shoot a Fire Nation princess, are you?" She raised her hands slowly.

"Don't come any closer!"

"I wouldn't dream of it. I came to talk." She smiled. But it wasn't one of the warm smiles she gave Zari. No. This could chill a man's blood.

"We cannot permit you to speak to the prisoner."

"Oh, you misunderstand… I came to speak to you."

The soldiers exchanged glances, but kept the weapons drawn. Bumi knew she was too far to attack with any kind of precision, while one arrow from them could end her. What was she doing?

"Earth Kingdom's best and bravest, are you not?" she started. "I bet there's even some Dai Li amongst you…"

The people didn't say a word, but judging by body language alone, Bumi was sure there were at least three.

"Come, come now… You all know who I am. Some of you may even know this…" Azula's smirk widened. "_Where does the blue dragon sleep?_"

Before Bumi had time to make sense of what Azula just said, two of the soldiers answered in one voice: "_Under the sea_."

Then the two of them, a man and a woman, proceeded to kill every other soldier there, taking advantage of the fact they were as confused as Bumi was. He didn't see the man fire the arrows, but he did see the last soldier's throat get slit. As for the woman, he saw all of her kills. She was a metalbender and forced the soldiers' own swords to end them. By the time it was done, Bumi was crouching on the floor, protecting his head with his hands and screaming.

"What? What?! Azula, what in the world?!"

"They're called sleeper agents, Bumi. And you should be grateful to…"

"Ming."

"Gen." The man put out his hand. It was bloody. Bumi got up on his own and Ming immediately bended his cuffs off.

"So you know them?" Bumi's breathing had still not recovered.

"Not personally." Azula shrugged. "They were sent to join the Earth Kingdom army as teens, to then blend in, rise through the ranks, put themselves in positions where they might be of use and await my command. I didn't know their identity, nor did they know each other's. It was all put in place before I gave up the criminal life, but it seemed a shame to get rid of such valuable assets before using them at least once."

Bumi looked back at the two spies. They were calmly standing to attention, awaiting Azula's next command.

"But why here tonight?" he asked before a terrible thought struck him.

"If I wanted to kill you, boy. You'd be dead." She rolled her eyes at how obvious he was. "I told you kids I wanted to help. This is me helping." She turned to Gen next. "Take the bodies and follow me. She can't stand them."

She?

Then Azula started leading them away and whistled loudly. A moment later, Katara appeared at the end of the hallway. She hurried towards her son.

"Mom?" Bumi was still confused as she hugged him, then pulled his head down so she could kiss his forehead. "You're working with Azula?"

"She's a mother too. She understands. Toph's helping also."

"She took care of the policemen."

"Yes, but they listen to her. Not one was hurt. Azula's methods are less… gentle." Katara took a second to look around, taking in the splatter of blood. As long as it wasn't her son's, she didn't care tonight. "She also has a ship ready to take you to Whale Island. People she trusts to take care of you and keep you safe there. But we have to hurry…"

She tried to pull his arm, but he didn't budge.

"Does Dad know about this?"

"You know your father… I'm not going to sit cross-legged while they kill my son! No matter what he did."

"You still…" He shoved her hands away. "I didn't do it! I didn't! That's what Lin was trying to prove…"

"It doesn't matter now… It's to late to prove anything. It's time to go."

"It matters to me, Mom! Do you think I did it?"

"You signed a confession, I don't think they'll care if-"

"Mom!"

"No, I don't think you did."

He didn't know if he believed her. Hearing her say it didn't make him feel better as he'd hoped.

"Now can we go?" she asked.

"What kind of life will I have there? I won't be able to see any of you… Izumi and Iroh… I wouldn't be a soldier anymore… That wouldn't be a life."

It was the same offer Izumi gave him. But it still wasn't enough. Bumi would never settle for it.

"Sweetie, it's the only kind of life we can get for you right now…"

"You would all be in constant danger and I would be a coward." He sighed. "If I disappeared from the city tonight everyone would blame Dad. The people would never trust him again. The world would suffer. I'm staying, Mom."

"You know…" Tears collected in her eyes. "You picked a fine day to start acting like your father…"

This time he hugged her.

"I love you." Bumi never felt like his father liked him all that much. Aang loved all his kids equally, sure, but he liked Bumi the least. It wasn't just the bending issue, even though it didn't help… There was like a wall between them for as long as Bumi could remember. And every year they both worked on making it thicker. Because of all of that, Bumi felt like his mother loved him just a little bit more fiercely than his siblings. The last thing he ever wanted to do was make her cry.

Katara called Azula and her soldiers out. The woman could immediately sense the plan was failing right in front of her.

"Staying, are we?" Azula looked meaningfully at Bumi. "Like you're set on breaking my niece's heart tonight… Listen, I've seen enough manly sacrifice nonsense in my life. Don't be an idiot, take help when you need it."

"Not if it hurts others," he said.

"Bumi thinks everyone will think Aang freed him." Katara wiped her cheeks.

"So what? Let them gossip." Azula scuffed.

"They'll never trust him again." Katara said.

"And if he just watches his son killed? They'll think he's incompetent!"

"I'm staying," Bumi repeated. Yeah, it sounded right.

"We can take you by force, you know," Azula said. Bumi spared a glance at the two soldiers listening in. He doubted he could take one of them on a good day…

"No, it's his decision," Katara said. "How do we explain this?"

Azula rolled her eyes and turned to her soldiers. "You will bring him back to his cell and claim the killed soldiers supported different queens and started brawling. You did what you had to stop them…"

Ming and Gen turned to each other and proceeded to injure one another just enough so it was believable.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Ma'am." Ming told Azula finally.

"I thank you for your devotion, but you'll be in more danger after this than ever before. You know each other now, which means if one of you is captured and tortured you both go down. Work together, look after one another, your lives are one now."

"Yes, Ma'am." Gen nodded.

Katara and Bumi said another short goodbye and he was led back to his cell. When Ming secured him there, he asked the two of them to stay with him till morning. He just couldn't handle the silence anymore because now he was feeling things again. Feeling all of it.

He listened as they explained both of their parents met working for Azula and her husband. The two of them were then born, raised and taught as part of her organization and as teenagers they were each singled out as especially talented and offered this mission. Bumi envied the two of them, stealing glances of each other, like children with a crush. _Your lives are one now_… He wished he was especially chosen for something… Bending or being extra smart like Zari or Su, he would even settle for a decent singing voice. But he was chosen for this, by whoever was responsible, and he'd be damned if he wouldn't take it tomorrow with dignity.

**oooooooooo**

"I'm coming with you." Tenzin repeated, like the last fifteen minutes didn't happen.

"I told you, they're expecting a single cop. Toph's daughter. And that's me. We're in no position to go around breaking their rules."

Kya and Izumi pretended that they had something of the upmost importance to check in the other room. Neither of them was getting in the middle of this.

"It's way too dangerous for you to go alone," he continued.

"We don't have time to argue with them… We only have until noon." She regretted saying it immediately. Like he needed reminding his brother was being executed today. She placed a quick kiss on his lips and started walking away. He caught her hand.

"I'm coming with you, Lin. I can't lose you, too."

And what was she supposed to say to that…

Half an hour later, they were casually strolling the streets of the most dangerous neighborhood in the whole city. Given her work, Lin was a frequent visitor, but right now, she felt naked without her uniform or her badge. Tenzin insisted on bringing his staff, that's how she knew he was taking it seriously enough. She wasn't sure which one of them took the other's hand first, but they'd been holding hands since they crossed the border to Terra Triad territory.

The meeting place Zari agreed upon was simply the most comically shady location in the whole city. Three minutes to the agreed upon time and they were standing in a small, dark parking lot, only accessible by a narrow, forgotten alley.

"You think they'll show on time?" Lin asked, just to break the nervous tension. This was officially their last chance.

"They're criminals. I think being late is just part of the image," Tenzin said, then heard a deep, raspy voice from the alley.

"You don't get to be as rich as I am, boy, without keeping a tight schedule."

Lin recognized the man immediately. The leader of Terra Triad. His name was Yi, but everyone simply called him the Unagi. She used to hear officers talk about how be deals with traitors, by trapping them inside the walls of his house with his bending and leaving them there to rot.

"Sir, good mor-" Tenzin begun.

"No, no, no… I don't know who you are… I was told I'll be meeting with one person." He raised one finger in the air to make the point. "Lin Beifong, the Lil' Chief."

Lin grimaced. She hated that nickname more than all the criminals in the city combined.

"I… She… She was hurt." Tenzin's brain was scrambling for an excuse. "If she got attacked, she-"

"No one who has an audience with me gets jumped." The Unagi threw his cigarette down and stepped on it. "I was going to ask what happened to her face, but I didn't want to offend the lady." He changed his focus from Tenzin to Lin. "Who did it then? One of my guys? My competition?"

"It wasn't a triad member," Lin said.

"Who else would dare slam a cop like that?" He looked around and focused on Tenzin. "It wasn't him, was it?"

"No, I would never! No, no, no… No." Tenzin shook his head violently.

"It doesn't matter." Lin touched her bruised lip. "And I'm not a cop anymore."

"She got it from an _interrogation_," Tenzin said and got a glare from Lin.

"Spirits…" The Unagi smirked. "And they call _us_ criminals…"

"We're here because we've been told you have information that could help us." Lin was desperate to change the subject.

"I do. But I also have a question… When I tell you, what are you going to use it for?"

"To save my brother!" Tenzin blurted.

"In that scenario, what's in it for me?" Unagi asked meaningfully.

"You tell us, we use it to ruin the Triple Threat Triad, by going after those responsible." Lin said.

"Very good, Miss Beifong. If I help you, I don't want you to stop at helping your friend keep his head, I want you to make the people involved pay. Can you do that?"

"And take out your competition?" Tenzin asked.

"We can." Lin said.

"So much like her mother…" The Unagi laughed slightly. "This is the first interesting thing that happened here since she retired, so I guess I should be grateful… I got another question for you now, Lil' Chief, why is Terra Triad number one?"

"Connections in the Earth Kingdom. You can get people and drugs into the city more easily." Lin remembered listening to a seminar about it.

"That's half the reason, yes. The other is that we own more dirty cops than the rest of the triads combined… Most cops are still Toph's metalbenders and we share a homeland. If you're going to sell out, better go with your own people…"

Lin hated hearing this. Thinking one of the people she trusted with her life and worked side by side with could be a liar and criminal. And since her mother left, it was even easier without her truthseer skills.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Lin interrupted. He didn't seem to get mad.

"Those cops we don't own, we sometimes follow," he said, and Lin and Tenzin shared a terrified look. "If we catch them doing something they're not supposed to, we buy them with our silence." Then he whistled and a scrawny teen boy walked out of the shadowy alley. "This is Yan. He was tasked with following around Chief Hong."

The boy looked absolutely terrified at the name mentioned. He generally left the impression that he'd rather be sitting comfortably at whatever safe house the Unagi had left him in.

"Come on, tell them what you saw." The man put his hand on Yan's neck and gave him a gentle squeeze.

"What does Hong have to do with it?" Lin asked.

"Weeks ago, I followed him into Triple Threats territory…" Yan spoke so quietly that listening to him was a strain. "And I figured, he'd go to a strip club, like they all do sometimes, but… He rounds a corner and suddenly he's meeting with a leader of Triple Threats."

"You don't mean…" Lin couldn't believe it.

"We couldn't own Chief Hong," the Unagi said. "Since he was already bought and paid for…"

"Which of their leaders?" Tenzin asked. The Unagi was pleasantly surprised at how much of this he was following.

"The earthbender," Yan said. "They call him Saber-tooth on the streets, cause he breeds-"

"Illegal moose lions, yeah, I know…" Lin interrupted.

"Anyway, he tells Hong that very soon the King will be assassinated and that he'll need to _investigate_ it. Saber-tooth then says to blame it on the Avatar's son. Whatever it takes. And I have pictures, since I was ready to catch him cheating on his wife." Yan pulled out a stack of photographs. Lin couldn't believe what she was seeing, the kid caught them exchanging money and everything…

"Next, I made a stupid move to get a better picture and they saw me," Yan continued. "I ran away and told my brothers everything so we could find a way to let the Avatar know, but then… A week ago, my brothers sent me to buy a pack of cigarettes and when I came back, they were… I was stupid enough to wear my work uniform while following Hong. He found them because of me…" Tears of anger filled the boy's eyes. The Unagi patted his shoulder. Lin was sure he enjoyed the boy's anguish. Another soldier for his army. One who'd fight the Triple Threats mercilessly and feel like he still owned the old man something.

"They're going to pay, Yan." Lin told him.

"I had a different kid following Hong the evening of the murders," Unagi added. "She lost him for the time period the brothers got killed. It was Hong, no doubt."

"Alright, but who killed the King?" Tenzin asked a valid question.

"Does it matter?" Unagi scuffed. "It only matters who ordered it."

"Yeah, Hong and Liyang have to pay." Yan said, finally in normal volume.

"Who?" Tenzin asked.

"Saber-tooth."

"His real name is Qi," Lin said, remembering another boring briefing.

"Yes. Qi Liyang. It's his family name. I did my research." Yan didn't understand the expression on Lin's face. But Tenzin did. She had something.

"What is it, Lin?" he asked.

"I know that name… I'd have to check, but…" She turned to him, ignoring the others. "Princess Luli. She was nobility before marrying the King's son. Luli Liyang. If she's related to the Triple Threats' leader, then maybe she's involved in the assassination too."

"But her husband was killed…" Tenzin turned to her as well, so they stood like they were alone.

"Maybe something went wrong," The Unagi suggested. "Plans fall apart. Maybe the bitch just wanted her husband dead. No one ever came as close to killing me as my first wife."

Lin thought about it. "If only the King was killed, Luli and her husband would have been King and Queen. She wasn't planning on fighting his little sister. That's why the prince was stabbed so messily, it was an accident that he was there!"

"But why in the world frame Bumi? They could have made it an accident…" Tenzin said.

"Maybe… Maybe Saber-tooth wanted something in return. Maybe he has something against Bumi or the Avatar…"

"You're looking at it wrong," The Unagi cut in. "It's business. This chick wanted the King killed and her brother wanted the Earth Kingdom to hate the Avatar and Republic City. We're already having shipment problems because of the beginnings of civil war. Imagine if the Kingdom cut all ties with the city, cause of the Avatar."

"Terra Triad falls. Triple Threats are the strongest," Lin concluded. "We have it, Tez! But Princess… Queen Luli is on the committee deciding Bumi's punishment."

"We need to stop it." Tenzin readied his glider.

"We need to collect as much evidence as we can now," Lin said. "You fly to the station and find Jun. Show him one of the photos of Hong taking bribes and he'll help you find a document linking Saber-tooth and Luli."

Tenzin nodded and flew away.

"I'm glad it's all working out," The Unagi said, looking at the sky where Tenzin disappeared. "You know, if you ever get tired of being treated that way for doing your job better than anyone else, we could find a place for you. Like we did for your sister."

"I'd rather die." Lin muttered.

"Harsh. You wouldn't have to do anything immoral, you see… You're such an asset, I'd set you up with a little team and your only job would be to get in the way of other triads. So you'd be doing the same thing you do now, just with no laws to hold you back and all the resources you could ever want. What do you say?"

"No." Lin was embarrassed because imagining it in her head didn't seem so bad. But she snapped out of it in less than a second.

"The offer is here, whenever you get tired of being beat up for doing your job."

She ignored him and started walking away. She stopped at the end of the parking lot and turned around.

"Yi!" she called him. "Thank you. But when all this is over, even if I don't get my job back, I'll do anything and everything to bring your whole operation down."

"I look forward to it, Lil' Chief," he said, lighting another cigarette.

**oooooooooo**

Bumi didn't hear much during his trial. Trail… If it could even be called that. He wasn't even given an attorney, which was maybe fortunate, since after confessing he didn't have much of a defense either.

The majority of the event was Chief Hong slowly reading out the contents of Bumi's signed confession while the crowd loudly disapproved. Of Bumi's supposed actions, not of the sham that was the event… Bumi noted the anger and hatred on their faces, but it didn't bother him much. There was only one face he looked for in the audience and it was Izumi's.

When he found her eyes at the back of the crowd, he suddenly wanted the stupid thing to last for hours… He was glad she wasn't crying, he didn't think he could handle that. She was back to being dressed like a princess, sitting down and holding hands with his mother. He was glad to see it since their relationship never really recovered from that time she married someone else and had his kid. Kya was right next to Katara, but she was covering her face and turned away from him. Probably couldn't stop herself from crying. Toph was next to her, patting her shoulder. Aang was nowhere to be found... But what surprised Bumi most was that Zari, Lin and Tenzin were also missing. He allowed himself the smallest ping of hope. What is they'd found something that could stop this? But what if they were just risking their lives for him again?

An officer turned Bumi's head from the audience to the committee. Guess, he should at least look like he was listening and didn't already know what the outcome would be.

He made an effort to study every person in the committee individually. He knew only the two self-proclaimed queens. His friend's wife, Queen Luli, conducted herself gracefully through the whole ordeal, despite being heavily pregnant, as well as, being seated in the same room as her husband's supposed murderer. The other, child Queen Hou-Ting, had a different approach. She glared angrily at Bumi throughout the entire event probably wishing they'd skip the formalities and just kill him already… By the look she was giving him, Bumi thought she might ask to do the deed herself.

Then the verdict was delivered. Bumi was pronounced guilty and his death penalty was to be carried out immediately. Every last shred of hope he had, was killed on the spot. Everyone walked a short while to the place dedicated for the execution. Bumi almost laughed at the fact that the verdict came only ten minutes ago, but everything for the execution was already prepared.

The location was a surprise, though. They led him to a small pier, where at the end stood a man with his long sword drawn. Easier for waterbenders to clean the blood here, he realized. There were worst places to die…

He was at least given the chance to say his goodbyes. Kya was the first one to run to him and put her hands around him.

"Where are they?" Bumi asked.

"I… I don't know. They left a while back and… I think they're just embarrassed they couldn't find anything," she whispered into his ear.

"I love all of you for trying." He kissed her cheek. "Take care of them for me, little sis."

And that was it, she started crying again.

"Dad wanted to come." Katara flashed a quick, sad smile. "He was just afraid with the Avatar state and all… He loves you so much. And Uncle Sokka, his ship got caught in a storm and he was forced to stop half-way. He wanted to be here more than anything."

"It's fine, I'm glad you're here." Bumi hugged her. He was sure seeing Aang would make it worse, but he still wanted him to be here too. He also wished he could put Tenzin in a headlock and rub his bald head one more time.

He moved to Izumi next, who was patiently waiting her turn, when a soldier started pulling him back.

"Time's up!"

Then one of Azula's sleeper agents, Gen, walked by and _accidentally_ tripped the soldier over his foot. He started apologizing, giving Bumi enough time to run to Izumi and kiss her.

"I love you," she said, pulling away.

"You can do better than me." He smirked, and she couldn't help but smile too. "I'll miss that smile, though."

"Idiot." She punched his chest slightly. "If you'd listened to me, you would've been half-way around the world by now…"

"But could you love a man who runs?"

As they were dragging him away, he mouthed "I love you too."

He spared another glance at the queens and noticed Zari standing next to young Queen Hou-Ting. He seemed to be telling her something, but she didn't seem to be reacting in any way. Bumi almost wanted to scream for him to let it go, that it was too late.

Before he could even get his mind around it, he was kneeling at the end of the pier, his back to the crowd. He was asked for his last words, but right now they were _I love you_ to Izumi and he knew he could never top that. He just quietly watched the horizon and then closed his eyes.

Then there was a sound of something whipping through the air followed by the clang of the executioner's sword on the ground. Bumi's eyes shot open as he turned and found every eye there focused on Lin at the edge of the crowd. She drew back her cable and ran into the open followed by Tenzin and her friend Jun.

"You're executing the wrong man!" Lin yelled. "And I can prove it!"

Chief Hong quietly signaled him people to remove her from the gathering, and the officers swarmed her in seconds. Good.

"Chief Hong is working for the Triple Threat Triad!" she shouted and showed one of the photos from the Unagi to the closest officer. They stopped trying to arrest her and all shoved in to see it for themselves.

"We will have order!" A member of the committee screamed but the chatter of the crowd was too loud.

"He knew about the assassination and he killed three people to cover it up!" Lin said. "The people who're really responsible are his boss, Qi Saber-tooth Liyang and his _sister_ Princess Luli Liyang!"

Now Luli's face showed some emotion. Fear.

The photos circling around reached Hong and, realizing he was finished, he tried to take one last desperate strike at Lin, but Toph closed him in a pillar of earth.

"You don't understand! I did nothing!" he pleaded.

Toph leaned in so she was close to his face and murmured, "You're lying."

"Can you really prove it?" Queen Hou-Ting asked, after getting an approving nod from Zari.

"It's all here." Lin rushed to present the stack of documents in her hands to the woman. The whole committee looked through them and Luli got desperate.

"Soldiers, protect your queen! We're leaving!" she called, but no one answered. She'd helped kill their king and they weren't about to ignore that.

"Take her," Hou-Ting said, realizing everyone was looking to her for what to do. "Find her brother. The Avatar's son is innocent."

Lin breathed out in relief and wiped the sweat from her forehead. She didn't even realize she was smiling ear to ear until Tenzin took her hand and she saw he was doing the same. After exchanging a few more words with the Queen, Zari ran to them.

"You did it!" Bumi came too, followed by Izumi and Kya.

"You doubted it?" Lin asked.

"Honestly, I was beginning to wonder…" He touched his neck then lunged forward, pulling both Tenzin and Lin in a hug. "You too, Little Prince." He pulled Zari in by his shirt.

**oooooooooo**

Further down the shore, hidden by some trees, Suyin watched the whole thing. She couldn't make out most of what was being said, but the fact that they were successful was unmistakable. She watched with a smile as all her friends exchanged hugs and felt a little tug in her chest for not being there.

She stole on more glance at Zari's goofy smile and disappeared into one of the streets. The plan was, she'd go back to the ship, but for some reason, she felt she was done hiding for a while. She wouldn't come home, no, but maybe it wouldn't be terrible if she just said a quick hello to Lin. Her sister was having a great day, so why not… And Su wanted to apologize for giving her those scars for months.

She found Lin easily enough, but the hard part was getting her alone. She followed her down a street to where their mother was putting Hong into a police car. Toph had temporarily seized control of the police force and was intent on punishing the now former chief.

"You have a minute, Chief?" Lin called. Su hid behind a wall. She was sure there were enough people around to fool her mother, but she couldn't risk Lin seeing her.

"Come for _I've told you so_?" Toph signaled the driver and the car full of policemen drove away, leaving the two of them alone on the street.

"No. I just-"

"You've done good. Is that what you want to hear?" Toph crossed her arms.

"I came to tell you something. While working Bumi's case I looked at the photos of the victims. All of them… Mom, Kanto's among them. He's dead."

Toph turned to her violently. "You're sure?"

Lin wished she could show her mother the photo, but it would mean nothing to her. "Yes."

"Well, thanks for telling me." Toph turned and started walking away. She made it a few steps, then stopped cold. "How did it happen?" Her voice revealed she was at the brink of tears. This day was a lot.

"I just have the photo. But it looks like he was stabbed. From the back." Lin walked to catch up to her mother who was still standing frozen. "Mom?"

"The one time he's not in on the scheme and he…" Toph let loose one tear and Lin hugged her. She forgot sometimes her mother had a whole relationship with Kanto, unlike her. They hated each other now, but she didn't want him betrayed by his own men. Lin was over the grief already, but she was sad again, for her mother this time. And she was glad she finished what her father started with his last stand.

Su watched them in silence, unmoving. This was a family moment, but just for the two of them. She didn't belong there now, so as soon as she found her calm, she walked the other way and looked for Zari.

She found the Prince standing with his bare feet in the sea, looking into the horizon. He was so handsome, it was unfair. She walked into the water too, but in her shoes. He noticed her but kept quiet. They stood like that for a few moments.

"You engaged?" she asked.

"Nope." He paused. "But I offered. In exchange for Bumi's life I offered to marry the Queen as soon as she came of age. But she turned me down…"

"Is she insane?"

"_If you don't want me then I don't want you._ It's surprisingly mature of her." He still stared at the horizon, not at her.

"You know, Bumi would cry if he knew what you were willing to do for him."

"That's why he'll never know. Just like they'll never know how much you helped."

"I think you should tell him."

"That I made my first marriage proposal today and got rejected? No, thank you."

First? Su panicked suddenly, but he wasn't… He wouldn't… She looked at him, but he wasn't moving.

"I have to go," she said suddenly.

"We can set sail in the evening if you so wish. But I was looking forward to-"

"No, I need to go. Away from you." Now he looked at her.

"What?" he asked.

"How are you always just so happy, and confident, and at peace?"

"I don't know what you mean…"

"Look, I ran away because I wanted to find myself, because I'm not all settled like you. I wanted to see the world and to do all that, I think I need to stop seeing you. I don't know if that makes any sense, but…"

"Okay." He looked back at the sea.

"Okay?"

"Okay." He smiled. "I still have some pirate friends. They could get you wherever you need to go. On the down-low."

"What?" he asked after she chuckled.

"It's just hilarious hearing you say _down-low_. Since you're such a dork…"

Before she could finish her thought, Zari stepped forward, cupping her cheek and pulled her into a kiss. But not like their other kisses, deeper, hungrier. Then he stopped, just as she was beginning to melt into it and leaned to whisper into her ear.

"Go. Have your adventure… I know you're coming back to me."

And Su wanted to say something snarky in return, but he was right. One day when she'd seen enough, she'd come back and see this thing between them through. While she considered a response, Zari already broke the contact, took his boots and paced away from her on the sand.

**oooooooooo**

In just a few hours, Saber-tooth was apprehended, Hong started confessing to everything in hopes of getting a deal and Lin brought in Kaji, the girl that stole Bumi's knife, to testify. With all that overwhelming proof, Bumi was finally going to get an official pardon.

Izumi stood next to him, holding his hand for support, as one of Hong's officers signed and stamped all the necessary documents. Meanwhile, Tenzin, Lin, Kya and Jun waited by Lin's desk. She was arranging her things back into the drawers, clutching the document that gave her her old job back.

"Lin, can I… Talk to you?" Jun asked, not really making eye contact. Tenzin noticed and pulled Kya into an unrelated conversation.

"Yeah?" Lin stopped moving things and focused on her friend.

"I… Look, I'm really sorry for telling on you… I should have just talked to you, asked you what was going on. When I thought you were covering up for a murderer, I just felt… I don't know. Awful. I did everything wrong. And just so you know, I wouldn't have let him keep hitting you."

"You were just being a good cop. Because that's who you are." She smiled. "We're good."

"If only I knew, you were also being a good cop, like always." He hugged her briefly.

"Look at it!" Bumi interrupted them all, running to them waving his release papers. "Punishment is lifted, name is cleared, head is firmly attached to shoulders… Let's go eat!"

"That's a good idea." Kya said.

"Can't we just get some take-out to the apartment?" Tenzin asked. "It's been a big day for everyone."

"Sure." Lin said. With the corner of her eye she noticed Jun leaving. "You too." She grabbed his arm.

"It seems like a family thing, I wouldn't want to intrude…" He slipped on his jacket.

"Nonsense," Kya waved him off "I want dumplings, alcohol and embarrassing Lin in the academy stories. You're gonna provide the last one. Who can handle the first two?"

"I guess, I can use my newfound freedom to get us some food," Bumi said. "But first… Lin could you do me a favor and stand on that chair?"

"What?"

"Indulge me."

Lin rolled her eyes but climbed up onto her office chair.

"Attention Republic City Police Force!" Bumi yelled and every single person turned their heads towards him.

"You trying to get arrested again?" Lin whispered.

"This is Detective Lin Beifong and she is truly the best cop you've ever had and could ever hope to have. Watch out, since she will be running this place one day. Mark my words!"

Lin didn't think she was ever that embarrassed and was thinking of jumping down when Jun started clapping. Then Tenzin, then Kya and soon the whole room. She still didn't feel like she deserved it. If only they knew how much she needed each of her friends to do it.

Soon after, everyone except Bumi went to Lin and Tenzin's apartment, chatting about where Zari could have gone, while Bumi headed to Kwong's on foot. He never knew he could enjoy just simply walking down the street that much. He was almost half-way there when he heard a sky-bison land behind him.

"Son?"

Today Bumi wished that wasn't him. He didn't answer, he just kept walking.

"Bumi?" Aang caught his shoulder.

Bumi turned around without a word and Aang pulled him into a hug.

"You're sure you want to be seen with me?" Bumi was the one to pull away. "Might ruin your Avatar reputation…"

"That's not funny… I'm sorry, I wasn't there, son, but I was so relieved to find out you proved your innocence."

Bumi did detect relief in his father's eyes, but he'd selfishly hoped it was because his son was alive, not because he wasn't a murderer.

"Because you believed it?" Bumi shook his head. "Some strangers tell a few lies and you believe I was capable of that?"

"If you were innocent, then why didn't you come to us?" Aang's voice got a hint of anger. "How was I supposed to know when you acted like a guilty man would?"

"How about knowing by knowing _me_?" Bumi matched Aang's anger twofold. "I knew that if I came to you, you'd have given me over to people who were trying to kill me! You would have done it for your honor, but you would have still done it…"

"That's hardly fair-"

"You know what the funniest part of all of this is?!" Bumi rubbed his face in frustration. "These people, their whole plan was doomed from the start. It depended on you wanting to save me from losing my head over something I didn't do and ruining your reputation in the process… But little did they know, you'd never do that. You'd never put any of us before your duty to the world."

"Do you even understand _duty_?" Aang asked. "You're a man already and I don't think I've taught you the meaning of the word…"

"I'm a soldier."

"A soldier who's gotten punished in almost every way the army knows how… And every time, there's a reason, and you think it's more important than your duty…"

"Don't make this about me…"

"Duty means ignoring what you want and what would make you happy. I helped as long as I was allowed to, I looked for you, I pleaded mercy with everyone in that committee…"

"You should have pleaded justice!" Bumi tried to control himself, but it was getting harder. "But you decided that what's best for the world was me dead."

"Sometimes doing nothing is the hardest thing to do." Aang said, calmly, and after a week hiding under the floor Bumi felt that. "But I would never abuse my power and go against the world's wishes. Even though it killed me to sit at home, while they carried out your punishment-"

"Almost executed me!" Bumi yelled. "Do you understand _family_, Dad?!"

He immediately knew he shouldn't have said it. Not to his father who never met his parents. His father who had his whole generation taken away from him. His father who was for a while the last of his culture.

Aang got teary, but Bumi just kept going…

"Tenzin and Kya and I, we all do. You know how? Because Mom taught it to us, every day she was there, and you weren't!"

Bumi took a deep breath. He'd gone too far.

"I just wish you'd see that being a monk like you is not the only way to be a good man" he added.

"I know that."

"There's more than one way to be a good man, and I'm not like you, but I am doing my best. I hope you see that…" Bumi came to a surprised stop when Aang pulled him into a hug again.

"I do."

"I know that you always did your best." Bumi hugged back only shortly.

And just like that they were okay again. Not okay, exactly, but better. The two of them would always be complicated…

Aang pulled away and put his hands on Bumi's shoulders. "I told your mom I'd get you home for dinner."

"I'm sorry." Bumi took a step away. "We're eating at Lin and Tenzin's tonight. And I just need… Some time. I'll come some other day."

And with that he walked away. He felt insanely guilty, but pushed it down. He was going to celebrate his freedom with the people who helped him get it back, people that trusted him.

He'd forgive his parents in time.

**oooooooooo**

"She's your aunt?" Su asked, leaning over the railing of the Zari's ship, inspecting the dark-sailed brig that was approaching them with speed.

"Not technically… It's like when you call the Fire Lord Uncle Zuko." Zari gave a hand signal to his first mate to prepare for peaceful boarding of the other vessel. The woman started shouting orders.

"And you're sure she won't mind?" Su picked up her small suitcase and mentally prepared for stepping onto her first _real_ pirate ship.

"Are you serious? The Captain went a day and a half off-course for this…" Zari spotted a familiar face on board the other ship and couldn't wait for the boarding to be complete. He ran right for the railing and jumped from one ship to the other, using only a little boost from his blue fire to make the jump.

"Zari?" the older woman, wearing the captain's hat asked.

"Aunt Shi." Except for a few new scars and some gray hairs, the woman looked just like he remembered her from his childhood. Although, the ridiculously big hat and the streaks of blue paint across her face were new and unexpected.

Shi hugged Zari so hard she knocked the air out of him for a few seconds.

"I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to be taller than me, kiddo," she said before stepping away to take one more long look at him.

She was comparing him to his dad, he realized. She'd only come out of it disappointed… Zari didn't remember his father's face, but he'd seen photos. His mother had exactly two of them. One of just his father when he was young, looking serious as ever, taken for some con his parents were running at the time. And the other one of the three of them when Zari was barely a toddler. He didn't really know where his mother kept them, but he knew that whenever he asked to see them, she was never more than five minutes from them.

He'd even asked Azula if he looked anything like his father, because in his eyes he didn't. He still remembered what she said. _When you're focused on something, like a firebending move or a Pai Sho match, truly focused, it's like I see his face and not yours._

"So what's with the war paint?" he asked, grinning.

"Terrifies young captains…"

"Like myself?"

"Nah, boy. You have the sea in your blood." She smiled at him. "Now tell me… How's that mom of yours?"

"Good, she's helping my uncle run the country…"

"I bet she's just happy to have people bowing again, calling her Princess and whatnot… She move on from your dad yet?"

Zari shook his head, wanting to take as little part in that conversation as possible.

"She's a waste of pretty, that one… But was a damn fine queen." Shi's eyes caught glimpse of Su finally making it onto the second ship. "Is that my guest?"

"I'm Kanna." Su used a fake name like her and Zari discussed. He trusted Shi, but Suyin Beifong would be too good of a hostage to risk it. Her great-grandma's name seemed appropriate.

Shi shook the girl's hand. "No, you're not." Her words made Zari and Su exchange a worried glance. "I'm not your mother, but I'm not stupid either… Now I don't know who you are, young lady, but if your boyfriend thinks he invented helping pretty, noble girls run away from home, he is dead wrong. That's exactly how we all met Azula back in the day…"

"Shi…" Zari tried to gesture for her to stop.

"Bye, Zari." Su leaned in and kissed his cheek.

"I'll write to you when I write to Shi," he said as she was walking away.

"And she'll write back. I'll make sure of it," Shi added, seeing Su wasn't going to.

"Now for the matter of money-"

"Don't insult me, boy!" Shi interrupted Zari. "Are we not family? She'll stay for as long as she likes, then we'll drop her off anywhere she likes. And I'll keep her out of trouble… Most trouble. And well away from handsome young men."

Su giggled at the face Zari made.

Shi said goodbye to the young prince by hugging him once more and then he was off to his own ship. Su watched with the Captain as Zari's ship detached and moved further and further from them.

"Come on, _Kanna_," Shi said. "I'll show you to your room. And tell you about the time we found out Zari was a firebender at the worst possible time…"

**oooooooooo**

After everything that happened, Bumi took some damn well-deserved leave to try and enjoy life again. He made peace with his parents, at least on the surface, then spent a few months on the South Pole training with his uncle Sokka. The man insisted there was nothing he could teach him anymore, but Bumi didn't care. Those old rooms were where his uncle gave him advice all through his childhood. Where he taught him how to be a warrior and how to be a man. It was a comforting place for him, with its good food, good company and traditional Water Tribe stories every night by the fire. He even helped a bit with the training of young boys and girls which felt incredibly more satisfying than his actual job.

When he arrived at Ember Island a few months later, he looked like a new man, having cut his hair and let his beard grow out. Iroh recognized him nonetheless, since the boy jumped into his arms as soon as Bumi stepped off the ship.

"Mom said she wasn't sure you were coming…"

"Well, your mom should know I would never miss your sixth birthday, for anything." Bumi let the boy down, then showed him his thick bag. "I have a little something here for you from the Pole, but nothing till tomorrow, you get that, little Prince?"

"Shh, Bumi. No one here knows who we are." Iroh looked around suspiciously. It made sense, since both him and his mother were dressed rather modestly. Izumi looked so beautiful he was beginning to suspect her usual royal clothing just distracted from how gorgeous she really was.

"Welcome." She stepped forward and gave him a little peck on the lips.

"Gross." Iroh cringed. Bumi made a silly face at him and the Prince responded by sticking his tongue out. Then he ran back to a group of boys who were playing in the shallows.

"Hear that? We're gross…" That was maybe one of the weirdest things Bumi said that got him a kiss from the Princess. Then they held hands and walked back to the beach house.

At that moment Bumi promised himself he'd do better by Izumi and her son, but he did that countless times before. People didn't really change overnight, even if they really wanted to. One thing did change that night, though. And a year later they returned to the island with Iroh and their baby daughter.

**oooooooooo**

_**Huh, here. Done.**_

_**Any thoughts on it, hit me with a review, I am dying to know.**_

_**And thanks for giving up your time to read this :)**_

_**Now for some comments of mine…**_

_**The last two scenes are like post credits scenes. I was debating with myself whether to put them in or not, but if I just keep them on my computer, they're not doing any good, so HERE.**_

_**The stuff about Zari's father and that pirate captain are more or less references to my story 'The Unrivalled Expert in Human Nature' which is about Azula and Zari's dad meeting and getting from there to… Well, Zari.**_

_**I don't think I mentioned this, but the Princess/Queen Hou-Ting in this story is the old lady Earth Queen from LoK. I didn't know her name before, so I thought I'd put it out there. And yes, she is awful, but she's a little kiddo here and she was on the good side… Still not giving her Zari though… Azula would go on a murder spree and I'd be tempted to join her.**_

_**And, Luli is my OC (obviously), but Prince Wu said the Queen was his great aunt, so Luli's baby in this would be Prince Wu's mother or father. Yay, references…**_

_**Also, I hope I did at least alright with all the clues and the mystery. It's not usually my thing so be gentle.**_

_**And I also recently read somewhere that it's freaking CANON that Izumi has Iroh and a daughter and I'm like… Bumi?! A Bumizumi child?! Yes! And I'll probably mention her in a story in the future where I'll give her a name and everything.**_

_**But I'm sadly not planning any more stories featuring ALL the Gaang kids, at this moment. They're already so big and it is chaotic business.**_


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